Challenge Details:
Try to eat at least two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables every day. Check off the box for each serving consumed. 

What is a Serving of Fruit and Vegetables? 1 Serving = about 4-6 oz. of fruit and vegetables

• 1 medium-size fruit 
• 1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned vegetables 
• 1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit
• 1 cup raw leafy vegetables 
• 1/4 cup dried fruit

How to win? Everyone’s a winner in this challenge! Anyone who tracks their fruit and veggie consumption during the month will be entered to win a $25 Visa gift card. Three winners will be randomly selected on Friday, April 7th.  Submit completed calendar to [email protected] by Wednesday, April 5th

Pro Tip: You can save time and money by buying bulk and chopping extra fruit or vegetables at one time and freezing the extra, or choosing frozen or canned fruits (rinse off any canned syrups) and vegetables at the store.

Why do a nutrition challenge?

It is recommended that adults eat between five and nine servings of fruits and vegetables each day, but only 1 out of 10 adults meet that recommendation! The III-A 5-a-day Nutrition Challenge is a great way to help you become more mindful of your intake and increase the number of servings of fruits and vegetables you eat each day.

Here are some ideas to help you get into the 5-a-day (or more!) habit:

1. Start with the first meal of the day. Plan to eat a serving or two of fruit with breakfast every day. Mix it up so you don’t get bored. Half a grapefruit, an apple, or a handful of berries on your cereal are all good choices. Continue this pattern by eating vegetables at lunch and at dinner.
2. Get extra energy from fruit or vegetable snacks. The carbohydrates in fruit and vegetables are great sources of energy. Combine them with a serving of protein — such as a piece of cheese, a cup of yogurt, or a tablespoon of peanut butter.
3. Double up on fruit and veggie servings. Recommended servings of fruit and veggies can be small. Unlike other foods, it’s OK to double the serving size of fruit or vegetables. Serve yourself a 1-cup portion of broccoli or tomatoes instead of the standard serving of ½ cup.
4. Sneak in fruit and vegetables as ingredients. Chop up veggies (peppers, carrots, celery, sweet potato) and toss them into your favorite chili or soup recipe. If you don’t like vegetables much, sneak them into foods you do enjoy (like grating carrots or zucchini into tomato sauce). When making a smoothie, toss in a few handfuls of spinach, and if you also add a ½ banana and berries, you won’t even taste it!
5. Try a new fruit, vegetable, or recipe each week. Our bodies like variety. So set a goal to try something different – even better, a different color – each week. You may find a new favorite! One good way to get variety is to eat the fruit and veggies that are in season in your area, they will also taste the best too.