Making Room for Vegetables and Fruit

Eating 7 -10 servings of vegetables and fruit a day may sound like a lot, but it’s not really, once you do the math. One serving fits in the palm of your hand – about the size of a baseball. A large salad or a 250ml drink box of juice counts for 2 servings; a 12-ounce can of vegetable juice is 3 servings. See? It’s a piece of cake. Or fruit!

It’s smart to eat every few hours – not just once or twice a day, and when you’re hungry reach for vegetables and fruit. Use the chart below to see common servings and, how many servings you’re already having – keep on reading for easy ways to fit in more, if you need to.

Vegetable or Fruit	Serving Size
Asparagus	6 spears, cooked or canned
Baby carrots	10 carrots
Brussels sprouts	4 medium sprouts
Celery	1 medium stalk
Corn	½ cup kernels or 1 ear
Mushrooms	½ cup chopped or 6 medium
Okra	8 pods
Radishes	10 radishes
Snow peas	10 pods
Avocado	½ medium
Apricots	3 medium
Cherries	20
Cantaloupe	½ cup
Dates	6
Honeydew melon	1/2 c up
Kiwi	2 medium
Lychee	10 fruit
Mango/papaya	½ medium
Passion fruit	4 medium
Strawberries	5 medium

Adding Up Vegetables and Fruit

Morning:	Size of one serving
Glass of juice	½ cup fruit or vegetable juice
Berry smoothie or fruit shake	½ cup blueberries, strawberries or blackberries in milk or yogurt drink
Sliced banana or berries on cereal	1 medium banana or ½ cup berries
Grapefruit or melon	½ grapefruit or fist-sized sized wedge
Piece of fresh fruit	1 medium apple or banana
Raw vegetables	2 handfuls of baby carrots
Trail mix with dried fruit	1 handful (1/4 cup) of dried apricots, raisins or cranberries
Noon:
Salad	1 cup Romaine lettuce, salad greens, spinach or shredded cabbage
Fresh fruit	1 medium pear, kiwi or peach
Drinking box	½ cup (½ of 250 ml box)
Canned or packaged fruit cup	4-ounce fruit cup or 100% apple sauce or fruit blend
Vegetable soup	1 large bowl
Veggies in sandwich and raw vegetable sticks	½ cup
Dinner:
Pizza with extra vegetables – mushrooms, pepper, spinach, broccoli, eggplant	½ cup of vegetables over 2 wedges of pizza
Vegetable side dish	1 medium-sized carrot; ½ cup beans
Stir fry	½ cup of mixed Chinese vegetables
Pasta with added vegetables	½ cup peas, carrots, peppers
Fruit for dessert	½ cup fresh or canned fruit

Be the change you want to see. Ask about introducing healthier selections to the vending machine, and have your caterer or food supplier bring a tray of ready to eat vegetables and fruit for meetings. Order less pop and more 100% fruit juices and water. Everyone is sure to be more alert during meetings, especially long ones!

Links:

 

Eating Well With Canada's Food Guide

Translated Versions of Canada's Food Guide

Dietitian Services @ Healthlink BC