Are you daily getting enough fruits?

Based on the recommendation from the 2015-2020 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for individuals consuming 2000 calories, should include 2 cups of fruit daily. These numbers could be more or less depending on the calorie level right for you.

However, according to the USDA, most Americans are only meeting 0.9 cups of fruit per day. If you're finding yourself constantly falling short of meeting daily recommended fruit servings, breakfast could be the perfect meal to add it.

Here are some tips to get you started...

1. Slice (banana, peaches, apples, strawberries) or add fresh berries into a bowl of cereal, oatmeal, or a parfait.

2. Add to pancakes or waffles mixes or use them as a topping instead of syrup

3. Pair a whole fruit with the meal (ex. eggs, toast, & banana)

What is one of my favorite ways to include fruits into my daily intake? I enjoy blueberries with plain Cheerios!

What if you don't eat breakfast?

No worries, try to include a morning snack that includes fruit + a protein. By pairing these together, it will keep you feeling fuller longer and get you through until the lunch hour.

1. Apple with a cheese stick or nut butter

2. Banana with a hard-boiled egg or nuts

3. Fresh berries with a low/non-fat yogurt

Photo credit: Valley Nutrition & Wellness, LLC/Jessica Clark, RD, LDN