Most of us know we should eat more fruit and vegetables, but fewer of us manage it.
The good news? Getting more from your fruit and veg isn’t only about eating more of it. It’s also about how you choose, store, prepare and pair it. Small tweaks make a big difference over time. And it’s easier than you might think because with a little planning and organization, you can indeed get more nutrition from your fruit and veg, even when life is busy. No sacrifices, all you need is to be savvy, intentional and prepared.
Here are 12 simple ways to make every bite count, even on your busiest days when you’re on the go.
1. Pair your colourful veg with a little healthy fat
Carrots, leafy greens, peppers and tomatoes are rich in carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and lutein. These are fat-soluble. That means your body absorbs them better when they’re eaten with some fat.
Research published in the Journal of Nutrition found that adding avocado to a salad significantly increased how many carotenoids people absorbed.
On the go: Add a few slices of avocado to your lunch box. Drizzle olive oil over your salad. Or pack a small handful of nuts alongside your carrot sticks.
2. Give plant iron a vitamin C partner
Spinach, lentils, chickpeas and beans contain iron, but the type of iron found in plants is less easily absorbed than iron from animal foods. Vitamin C helps your body absorb it.
On the go: Squeeze lemon over a lentil salad. Add red pepper strips to a spinach wrap. Pair your hummus with a satsuma.
3. Keep the skins on
Much of a fruit or vegetable’s fibre and many of its plant compounds sit in or just under the skin. Peeling an apple, cucumber, kiwi or potato means leaving some of that goodness behind.
On the go: Wash well and eat apples, pears, cucumbers, kiwis and carrots skin-on. Roast potatoes and sweet potatoes in their jackets.
4. Make frozen your friend
Fruit and veg are usually frozen soon after harvest, which helps lock in their nutrients. A study from the University of California, Davis, found frozen produce was nutritionally comparable to fresh, and sometimes better than fresh produce that had been stored for a few days.
On the go: Keep frozen berries, peas, spinach and mango in your freezer. Blend them into a morning smoothie or stir them into soups and sauces in minutes.
5. Pack produce that travels well
Some fruit and veg are made for busy lives. They need no prep, no fridge and no fuss.
On the go: Bananas, apples, satsumas, cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas and baby carrots all slip easily into a bag. Keep a bowl of them by your keys, so grabbing one becomes a habit and something you look at every day.
6. Cut close to when you eat
Once fruit and veg are cut, they’re exposed to air and light. Some nutrients, like vitamin C, start to break down.
On the go: Prep sturdy veg such as carrots and peppers ahead of time if that’s what makes it happen. But leave delicate fruit, like melon or apple, whole until you’re ready to eat it.
7. Steam, don’t boil
Vitamin C and many B vitamins are water-soluble. When you boil vegetables, some of these vitamins leach into the cooking water and get poured down the sink.
On the go: Steam your veg or microwave it with a splash of water. Short cooking time, little water. If you do boil, save the water for soups or stocks, especially for the colder months.
8. Cook your tomatoes, sometimes
Raw isn’t always best. Tomatoes contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. Research shows cooking tomatoes makes their lycopene easier for your body to use, especially with a little olive oil.
On the go: Enjoy a mix of raw and cooked. Fresh cherry tomatoes at lunch. A tomato-based soup or sauce at dinner.
9. Add whole food nutrition to your routine
Some days, a colourful plate just isn’t on the cards. Early starts, long shifts, travel. Life gets in the way. That’s quite normal.
There are many whole food nutrition products out there. Look for something made from fruit and vegetables harvested at their peak, non-GMO and minimally processed. They’re designed to go alongside, never instead of, the fruit and veg on your plate.
On the go: Nutritional products are usually capsule or raw powder form. Keep the product a ket staple of your morning routine, next to your water bottle or your keys, or routinely take the product with your breakfast. One simple habit, then get on with your day.
10. Eat the rainbow
Different colours mean different plant compounds. Red tomatoes, orange carrots, green broccoli, purple berries. Each brings something different to the table.
On the go: Try a simple colour count. How many colours did you eat today? Aim to beat it tomorrow.
11. Choose whole fruit over juice
Whole fruit keeps its fibre. Fibre supports your digestive health and helps you feel fuller for longer. Juicing actually removes much of it.
On the go: Reach for the whole orange, not the carton. If you love smoothies, blend the whole fruit rather than straining it, and add a handful of greens. Simple!
12. Buy little and often, and store smart
Fruit and veg keep losing some nutrients after harvest. Leafy greens are especially quick to fade. Heat and light speed things up.
On the go: Buy smaller amounts more often if you can. Store greens in the fridge’s salad drawer. Eat the most delicate produce first and save hardier veg, like cabbage and root vegetables, for later in the week.
Bonus: Sneak more in where you can
The easiest wins are the meals you already eat; add a handful of spinach to your wrap. Stir grated courgette into pasta sauce, or scatter fresh herbs over your lunch. Each small addition adds up.
One small change at a time
You don’t need to overhaul your diet overnight. Pick one hack from this list. Try it this week. Then add another.