The last year of working on the Fruits and Veggies - Mix it up!™ campaign has been an exciting one! My work has taken me to California, Whitehorse, Halifax, Quebec City, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary and more. I’ve been privileged to see romaine lettuce harvested in the Salinas Valley, apples sorted in Kelowna, B.C., and I’ve talked to growers from around the world.
I’ve always loved fruits and veggies and as a mom of a 4 and a half year old boy, produce is a major part of our diets. What I didn’t know before starting on the Mix it up!™ campaign was the vast array of fruits and veggies that are available to us. I now make it a point to try something new every week. Whether I’m mixing it up by trying a new colour, a new variety or a new recipe, there’s no shortage of ideas. In the last couple of months our family has tried artichoke (I had no idea it was so easy to prepare), passion fruit, medjool dates, making our own potato cakes, and a rainbow of smoothies and salads.
I’ve also taken another look at a great tool – Canada’s Food Guide – to help me plan my snacks and meals. Most Canadians don’t eat their daily recommended servings of fruits and veggies and I wanted to know how I stacked up. Taking a look at all the food groups was an eye opener – I was over consuming in some areas and under consuming in others. No surprise – I have no trouble meeting my fruit and veggie requirements as I make a point to include them in some form at every meal and snack. I have posted the Food Guide on my fridge and now refer to it every morning as I pack our lunches for the day.
As we move forward with the Fruits and Veggies – Mix it up!™ campaign, you can expect more great tips, recipes, information on fruits and veggies, and some guest blogs!
I’ve always loved fruits and veggies and as a mom of a 4 and a half year old boy, produce is a major part of our diets. What I didn’t know before starting on the Mix it up!™ campaign was the vast array of fruits and veggies that are available to us. I now make it a point to try something new every week. Whether I’m mixing it up by trying a new colour, a new variety or a new recipe, there’s no shortage of ideas. In the last couple of months our family has tried artichoke (I had no idea it was so easy to prepare), passion fruit, medjool dates, making our own potato cakes, and a rainbow of smoothies and salads.
I’ve also taken another look at a great tool – Canada’s Food Guide – to help me plan my snacks and meals. Most Canadians don’t eat their daily recommended servings of fruits and veggies and I wanted to know how I stacked up. Taking a look at all the food groups was an eye opener – I was over consuming in some areas and under consuming in others. No surprise – I have no trouble meeting my fruit and veggie requirements as I make a point to include them in some form at every meal and snack. I have posted the Food Guide on my fridge and now refer to it every morning as I pack our lunches for the day.
As we move forward with the Fruits and Veggies – Mix it up!™ campaign, you can expect more great tips, recipes, information on fruits and veggies, and some guest blogs!
Remember to Mix it up!™ at every meal and snack.
-Melanie
-Melanie
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