Become Fruit and Veggie Savvy

1. Become Fruit and Veggie Savvy

2. The power of fruits and vegetables • People who eat more generous amount of fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet are likely to have: • Reduced risk of chronic diseases, including stroke, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, and perhaps heart disease and high blood pressure. • Use the colors to maximize your nutrient intakes. • Different colors provide different unique nutrients • If you get a variety of color on your plate everyday, you get more benefits.

3. How much do you need? • My Plate www.choosemyplate.gov • Make Half your plate fruits and vegetables. • This can seem like a lot • Only about 1/3 of adults consume ≥2 servings of fruit a day • Only about ¼ of adults consume ≥3 servings of vegetables a day The State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, 2009 including data sources, national and state-by-state data is available at http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/indicatorreport

4. What should make up your plate?

6. Use all forms of fruits and vegetables • Affordable • Pair canned and frozen with seasonal fresh to stay within your budget. • Nutritious • Did you know canned and frozen fruits and vegetables have similar nutrition as their cooked fresh counterparts? • Some antioxidants are even higher in canned than in fresh. • Convenient • Cleaned, Cut and Cooked; Recipe Ready • On your table in less than 3 minutes

7. Similar Nutrition. Different Convenience and Cost. + = +

8. What about flavor? • Keep it simple with combinations • Add fruits and vegetables to familiar items • Increase taste • Change up textures, flavors, variety • Cook it in a new way • Use healthy fats and seasonings • Don’t need much to give good flavor. Add a little and taste before adding more. • Use built in seasonings for convenience

9. To Do List to Increase Fruits and Veggies! • Rethink your plate™ • Make ½ your plate vegetables • Use combinations of all forms of fruits and vegetables • Pairing seasonal varieties with stable canned and frozen products keeps the budget in control • Allows greater variety with the same nutrition • Increases convenient options • Don’t forget taste • Combine different types • Use other healthy fats and seasonings

10. Resources • Produce for better health • All forms information http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=47 • Key nutrients http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=53 • Selections and Storage http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=166 • Guide to getting more fruits and veggies http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=1477 • Meal planning and shopping tips http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=1474 • Color List http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=1600 • Stretch Food Dollars and Value info http://www.pbhfoundation.org/retail/partners/retailers/retailmembers/fvmm_month/ConsCol_Get_More_Value.html http://www.pbhfoundation.org/retail/partners/retailers/retailmembers/fvmm_month/ConsCol_Top_10_Ways.html

11. References • For links to the following studies go to the Canned Food Alliance website http://www.mealtime.org/content.aspx?id=274 • University of California-Davis Study  "Nutritional Comparison of Fresh, Frozen and Canned Fruits and Vegetables"  • University of Illinois Study "Nutrient Conservation in Canned, Frozen and Fresh Foods” • University of Massachusetts Study (PDF format): "Nutrition Study Phase I, Phase II and Phase III"