Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday: Favourite Vegetables and Fruit!

Recently our family has been studying the Canada Food Guide, and its recommendations for daily intake within the various categories.  My focus has been on incorporating more fruits and vegetables into our diet--something that has always been a challenge for me by way of incorporating, and something that has been a challenge for the rest of them, by way of accepting and eating. 

It is not that I (or other family members) haven't studied the Food Guide in the past.  We all have.  But it was a good reminder for us all to realize the importance of incorporating a variety of foods into our diet, and coming up with some creative ways to do so.  I asked everyone to share some of their favourite fruits and vegetables with me, and we discussed what a "portion size is", and how we could incorporate more of the good stuff into our daily eating routines.  Actual portion size amounts was probably the biggest revelation for us all.  I have done my own studying of portion sizes in the past (confirming that my portion sizes for most items on my plate at supper were way larger than they needed to be!!!!), but it was good for my boys to actually visualize, or even see, what one serving looks like.  We got out the measuring cups and food scale, drawing conclusions about how easy it could be to be to incorporate a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables, for example, into their meals and snacks.

Today I present you with my own personal favourite mix of fruits and vegetables. I chose to combine a vegetable and a fruit for the purpose of this top ten list, but I don't think I would ever eat any of them combined.  Also, I am aware that tomatoes are actually considered a fruit, but I myself would categorize them as a vegetable, based on how I use them in food preparation.

10.  Spinach and Pomegranates

9.   Leeks and Apples

8.  Tomatoes and Kiwi

7.  Carrots and Cantaloupe

6.  Celery and Bananas

5.  Cucumbers and Blackberries

4.  Peppers and Oranges

3.  Garlic and Pineapple

2.  Onions and Strawberries

1.  Potatoes and Watermelon

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