If you search on the internet, there are a million different posters, brochures, hand-outs, and pamphlets about nutrition education. One poster may explain what MyPlate is and how it should be used as a guideline for eating healthy, while a brochure might list ways to reduce salt intake. It took me a while to find a subject that really stood out to me, but eventually I stumbled upon one that I think is very important to share. I found a handout on The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website about incorporating more fruits and vegetables in our diets. Not enough Americans consume the recommended amount of these wonderful and healthful foods; however, this handout gives easy tips on how to add these foods into our diets.
The handout is titled, “20 Ways to Enjoy more Fruits and Vegetables.” The article states that the main goal should be to consume 2 cups of fruit, and 2 ½ cups of vegetables every day. In addition, the tips given are easy to read, and understand; therefore, people will be well equipped to eat more fruits and vegetables. If people don’t like the idea of just consuming a vegetable, such as a carrot, by itself, then this hand-out will tell them how to find creative ways to eat carrots, rather than just consuming them raw. For instance, tip #10 says to add carrots into an omelet for breakfast. You can also add other vegetables to the omelet, so you can disguise the taste of a carrot, if you don’t like to eat raw carrots!
What I find most interesting about this online, printable, and easy to read hand-out is that there are so many different, and interesting ways to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. A lot of tips are as simple as leaving fruit out in the open in your kitchen, such as in the center of the dining room table, so it is easily accessible, and you don’t have to find old, rotten peaches in the back on the refrigerator because you forgot to eat them. Something I found surprising is tip #19 which says you can grill fruit kabobs. I’ve never tried to grill fruit, so I think that would be a fun experience because that grill taste you get on grilled chicken will be on fruit! Some fruits recommended to grill include pineapples, bananas, and peaches. I will definitely try to make fruit kabobs once the weather gets warm again, which will be a while from now!
As a nutrition educator, I think this hand-out is an excellent tool to give clients. This hand-out is useful because it gives so many creative tips on how to eat more fruits and vegetables in the diet. Besides giving this hand-out to people who simply want to eat healthier, I would give these to clients who have hypertension. This is a great resource to turn to because people with hypertension need to watch their salt intake, and having these tips will help them plan their meals and snacks accordingly. The hand-out can also help people potentially lose weight because they are replacing sugary, high-calorie foods with low-calorie, good for you foods. I highly recommend other nutrition educators use this hand-out because it is very informative for clients who might not know how to eat enough fruits and vegetables.
Go check out the web page here at http://www.eatrightpro.org/~/media/eatrightpro%20files/career/career%20development/flyers%20and%20handouts/ernt_20_ways_to_enjoy_more_fruits_and_vegetables.ashx
Original page found from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:
http://www.eatrightpro.org/resource/career/career-development/marketing-center/flyers-and-handouts
Picture sources:
http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/cms/binary/10896406.jpg?size=640×420
http://thatswhatieat.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/fresh-fruits-and-vegetables1.jpg