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In general:
• Keep a bowl of whole fruit on the table, counter, or in the refrigerator.
• Refrigerate cut-up fruit to store for later.
• Buy fresh fruits in season when they may be less expensive and at their
peak flavor.
• Buy fruits that are dried, frozen, and canned (in water or juice) as
well as fresh, so that you always have a supply on hand.
• Consider convenience when shopping. Buy pre-cut packages of fruit (such
as melon or pineapple chunks) for a healthy snack in seconds. Choose packaged
fruits that do not have added sugars. For the best nutritional value:
• Make most of your choices whole or cut-up fruit rather than juice, for
the benefits dietary fiber provides.
• Select fruits with more potassium often, such as bananas, prunes and
prune juice, dried peaches and apricots, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, and orange
juice.
• When choosing canned fruits, select fruit canned in 100% fruit juice
or water rather then syrup.
• Vary your fruit choices. Fruits differ in nutrient content.
At meals:
• At breakfast, top your cereal with bananas or peaches; add blueberries
to pancakes; drink 100% orange or grapefruit juice. Or, try a fruit mixed with
low-fat or fat-free yogurt.
• At lunch, pack a tangerine, banana, or grapes to eat, or choose fruits
from a salad bar. Individual containers of fruits like peaches or applesauce
are easy and convenient.
• At dinner, add crushed pineapple to coleslaw, or include mandarin oranges
or grapes in a tossed salad.
• Make a Waldorf salad, with apples, celery, walnuts, and dressing.
• Try meat dishes that incorporate fruit, such as chicken with apricots
or mango chutney.
• Add fruit like pineapple or peaches to kabobs as part of a barbecue meal.
• For dessert, have baked apples, pears, or a fruit salad. As snacks:
• Cut-up fruit makes a great snack. Either cut them yourself, or buy pre-cut
packages of fruit pieces like pineapples or melons. Or, try whole fresh berries
or grapes.
• Dried fruits also make a great snack. They are easy to carry and store
well. Because they are dried, ¼ cup is equivalent to ½ cup of other fruits.
• Keep a package of dried fruit in your desk or bag. Some fruits that are
available dried include apricots, apples, pineapple, bananas, cherries, figs,
dates, cranberries, blueberries, prunes (dried plums), and raisins (dried grapes).
• As a snack, spread peanut butter on apple slices or top frozen yogurt
with berries or slices of kiwi fruit.
• Frozen juice bars (100% juice) make healthy alternatives to high-fat
snacks.
Make fruit more appealing:
• Many fruits taste great with a dip or dressing. Try low-fat yogurt or
pudding as a dip for fruits like strawberries or melons.
• Make a fruit smoothie by blending fat-free or low-fat milk or yogurt
with fresh or frozen fruit. Try bananas, peaches, strawberries, or other berries.
• Try applesauce as a fat-free substitute for some of the oil when baking
cakes.
• Try different textures of fruits. For example, apples are crunchy, bananas
are smooth and creamy, and oranges are juicy.
• For fresh fruit salads, mix apples, bananas, or pears with acidic fruits
like oranges, pineapple, or lemon juice to keep them from turning brown.
Fruit tips for children:
• Set a good example for children by eating fruit everyday with meals
or as snacks.
• Offer children a choice of fruits for lunch.
• Depending on their age, children can help shop for, clean, peel, or cut
up fruits.
• While shopping, allow children to pick out a new fruit to try later at
home.
• Decorate plates or serving dishes with fruit slices.
• Top off a bowl of cereal with some berries. Or, make a smiley face with
sliced bananas for eyes, raisins for a nose, and an orange slice for a mouth.
• Offer raisins or other dried fruits instead of candy.
• Make fruit kabobs using pineapple chunks, bananas, grapes, and berries.
• Pack a juice box (100% juice) in children's lunches versus soda or other
sugar-sweetened beverages.
• Choose fruit options, such as sliced apples, mixed fruit cup, or 100%
fruit juice that are available in some fast food restaurants.
• Offer fruit pieces and 100% fruit juice to children. There is often little
fruit in "fruit-flavored" beverages or chewy fruit snacks.
Keep it safe:
• Wash fruits before preparing or eating them. Under clean, running water,
rub fruits briskly with your hands to remove dirt and surface microorganisms.
Dry after washing.
• Keep fruits separate from raw meat, poultry and seafood while shopping,
preparing, or storing.
Dietary Guidelines
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005, gives science-based advice
on food and physical activity choices for health. The Dietary Guidelines describe
a healthy diet as one that " Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and
fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products; " Includes lean meats, poultry,
fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; and " Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol,
salt (sodium), and added sugars. The recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines
and in MyPyramid are for the general public over 2 years of age. MyPyramid is
not a therapeutic diet for any specific health condition. Individuals with a
chronic health condition should consult with a health care provider to determine
what dietary pattern is appropriate for them.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) - www.mypyramid.gov
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