Getting More Fruits and Veggies into Your Family

"You are what you eat, from your head down to your feet".  Anyone else learn this little line in elementary school?  It's true!  Nutrition is very important.  Food heals.  Whenever you choose food, you can choose food that hurts, or food that heals.  It's that simple!

One very important part of nutrition is eating lots of fruits and vegetables, especially raw ones.  I thought I would share things I have been doing in order to get more fruits and veggies into myself and my family.  Here is a list of what I do:

• Fruit with breakfast.  I like to slice up oranges and bananas, and/or squeeze fresh orange juice.  We buy oranges in bulk and make sure we eat some every day.  Have you ever read up on the nutritional content of an orange?  If not, do it!  It is ones of our keys to staying healthy.
• Smoothies.  Every day, I take 2 oranges, 1 banana, and 3/4 cup of frozen blueberries.  I put the banana and blueberries in the blender, along with 3/4 cup plain yogurt, a scoop of protein powder and 1 T. flaxseed oil.  Then I squeeze the oranges with my citrus juicer, and add the juice to the blender, and blend.  I serve this to my hubby every day!
• Raw fruits and veggies with lunch.  Every day at lunch, I chop up whatever fresh fruit I have, which is normally apples.  I serve those along with carrot sticks.  If your children aren't found of carrots, try giving them some ranch dressing, but be careful which brand you choose.  I only buy ranch dressing that is refrigerated, because then it is free of preservatives and other unnecessary/unhealthy ingredients.  Marie's is the best!  If my children would eat them, I would also serve celery and broccoli, but they don't get eaten in my house.  I also keep canned fruit on hand, for when we're out of fresh.
• Fresh vegetable juice.  This is essential!  Read up on the benefits of juicing, and you will agree!  My children won't drink this, but my hubby and I drink fresh juice every day.  My hubby likes carrot/apple, and I like carrot/celery.  It's really yummy, and amazingly good for you!  Did you know that fresh carrot juice cleanses the liver?
• Vegetables with dinner.  Every night, I serve at least one cooked veggie.  Often times there are also potatoes, along with the other veggie.
• Salads!  I serve a fresh salad with dinner as much as possible.
• Adding veggies to sandwiches.  Don't underestimate the value of some tomato and lettuce being added to your sandwich!

I think that's it!  I do ALL of these things, and all of these things added up equals a good amount of fruit and veggies each day.  We rarely get sick, so what I'm doing must be working!