One of the best parts about writing this blog is that it forces me to eat more fruit. You may think this comes naturally to me, but I assure you it does not. I am way more inclined to stop and get french fries than to eat a healthy piece of fruit. In fact, if I told you how often I eat french fries, you might wonder if French Fry Maven is next up on my list of blogs to start. Oh how I love them. In their defense, potatoes are linked to happiness boosting properties, which does explain some things. But I do not need another motivator for eating my beloved fried potatoes. No. I need motivation to get healthy fruit in to my body. And vegetables too, but someone else can bear that cross.

(photo is a mashed frozen strawberry heart in milk with a foil-wrapped peanut butter cookie kiss)

So I thought I would share some of the things I do with you. The bottom line is that the more fun and interesting I can make things, the more likely I am to do it. And the more I think about fruit in general, the more likely I am to pick it up at the store and eat it. I’m not driven by really disciplined systems or hard core approaches, though I respect those plans and life styles. For me, I just want my life filled with delicious flavors, fun colors and wacky shapes. Extra points I get to try something new or if I can get someone to do it with me.

  1. Make an effort to buy and try one new variety of fruit every week just for the fun of it.
  2. Make a game with your kids (if you have them) or friends, to eat a piece of fruit from every color of the rainbow. Create a prize for whoever can get it done first. Post your game on Facebook to motivate other people to eat more fruit. (Also invite me to play along. Pick me. Pick me!)
  3. Hold a monthly fruit tasting event to try a few varieties of the same type of fruit.
  4. Get more creative with your breakfast: Cut up bananas (obviously), apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, grapes, berries, whatever…and add to your cold cereal or hot oatmeal. They all work really well!
  5. Add slices of fruit to cheese toast or a cheese sandwich – both hot (broiled) and cold work. There are tons of great pairings:
    • apricot/brie
    • pear/blue
    • asian pear/cheddar
    • apple/goat
    • apple/gruyere
    • jackfruit/cream cheese
    • cherry/ricotta
    • persimmon/goat
    • berry/mascarpone
    • nectarine/blue
    • orange/provolone (peel oranges, add avocado and balsamic)
    • lemon/mozzarella (no need to peel, just slice very thin and broil)
  6. Try the combinations in number 5 in a salad instead.
  7. Drinks: Puree or blend your favorite fruit or a combination of fruits and freeze into ice cube shapes. I have heart, swizzle and star shaped trays. Add to your iced tea, water or even a glass of milk. The fruit will melt and blend beautifully and you will have had a serving of fruit without even thinking about it.
  8. Dinner: Add slices of fruit to pizza or pasta. Martha just put out an amazing lemon/brussel sprout pizza. Other fun combinations that come to mind:
    • nectarine/arugula
    • pear/caramelized onion
    • peach/prosciutto
    • fig/ricotta

What do you do to get more fruit in to your body? I would love to hear it.