Tips for Meeting Your Daily Fruit Requirements

dietitians recommend that adults consume 2 cups of fruit each and every day.

Fruit TipsFor those of you who may not know, a single fruit portion is considered 1 cup of fresh fruit, 8-oz. of pure 100% fruit juice or 1/2 cup of dried fruit. To help you reach your daily fruit consumption goals, consider starting breakfast with a glass of your favorite juice such as orange, apple, cranberry, prune, or grape.

If you eat cereal, add fresh fruit such as raisins, strawberries, bananas or blueberries. Other options for getting some fruit first thing in the morning include whole wheat banana pancakes, a fresh fruit smoothie, low-fat blueberry bagels or organic waffles topped with fresh strawberries.

To ensure that you are getting your daily doses of fruit, keep a bowl of fresh fruit on the kitchen counter so items such as bananas, apples, peaches, pears, oranges, plums and grapes are readily available. Choose fruits that are in season and at their peak…this is when they taste best and are usually less expensive.  If you prefer dried fruit, a trail mix of fruits and nuts makes an excellent choice!

To help meet your daily fruit goals, consider snacking on cut-up, ready-to-eat favorites like watermelon, pineapple, cantaloupe and honeydew melons. It’s best to buy small amounts of fresh fruit more often so they don't go to waste.

You can also meet some of your daily dairy requirements at the same time by enjoying yogurt mixed with fresh fruit (blueberries and yogurt make a delicious combination) or cottage cheese topped with sliced peaches or pineapple.