Is your diet looking pretty “beige?”

If your plate of food lacks a variety of colour, chances are you’re not getting enough fruits and vegetables in your diet. You may be missing lots of healthy fibre, minerals and vitamins and other healthy nutrients that help fight disease.

Here are some easy tips to increase your intake of fruit and vegetables.

Here’s How to make your diet colourful

1) Buy variety: buy many kinds of fruit and vegetables of different colours, so you have many choices at home.

2) Eat while fresh: eat the fruit and vegetables that deteriorate quickly, eg. peaches, bananas; save the hardier ones for later in the week, eg. apples, sweet potato

3) Keep a fruit bowl: seeing fruit on the counter in a bowl, will remind you to grab a piece more often, than when they’re out of sight in the pantry or fridge.

4) Have salad ready: keep a tossed salad with several types of greens, cherry tomatoes, capsicum, snow peas. Refrigerate in a glass bowl with an airtight lid and no dressing, so the salad keeps fresh and crisp for days. 

5) Eat fruit-based desserts: top a bowl of your favourite fruits chopped up with yoghurt, shredded coconut and a pinch of nuts. Top some stewed fruit with a crumble made of oats, coconut, cinnamon and coconut oil, baked briefly in the oven till golden brown.

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6) Steam or microwave veggies: broccoli,spinach, cauliflower, squash, sweet potatoes and asparagus are all quick and easy. Drizzle with a little olive oil and salt & pepper afterwards.

7) Make vegetable soup: use a base of sauteed onions, carrot and celery, add stock and your favourite vegetables chopped up. 

8) Add vegetables to sauces: when you prepare sauces, add extra varieties of vegetables, eg. add spinach, grated carrots and zucchini to bolognaise sauce.

9) Drink your vegetables: buy a high quality juicer and make delicious fruit and vegetable juices and smoothies. A daily green drink made of spinach, kale or any greens has healthy anti-inflammatory properties.

10) Fix easy snacks: keep a bowl of cut up veggies in the top of the fridge. Makes a good quick snack especially when dipped into fresh homous, guacamole or tzadziki.

Keep it colourful and you’ll keep it healthy … and delicious!