MyPyramid – Fruits

Tips to help you eat fruits

In general:

• Keep a bowl of whole fruit on the table, counter or in the refrigerator.
• Refrigerate cut-up fruit to eat later.
• Try fruits that are dried, frozen and canned (in water or juice) as well as fresh.

For the best nutritional value:

• Make most of your choices whole or cut-up fruit, rather than juice, for the benefits dietary fiber provides.
• Select fruits with more potassium often, such as bananas, prunes and prune juice, dried peaches and apricots, cantaloupe, honeydew melon and orange juice.
• When choosing canned fruits, select fruit canned in 100% fruit juice or water rather than syrup.
• Vary your fruit choices. Fruits differ in nutrient content.

At meals:

• At breakfast, top your cereal with bananas or peaches; add blueberries to pancakes; drink 100% orange or grapefruit juice. Or, try a fruit mixed with low-fat or fat-free yogurt.
• At lunch, pack a tangerine, banana or grapes to eat, or choose fruits from a salad bar.
• For dessert, have baked apples, pears or a fruit salad.

As snacks:

• Cut-up fruit makes a great snack, or try whole fresh berries or grapes.
• Dried fruits also make a great snack. They are easy to carry, and they store well. Because they are dried,  1/4 cup is equivalent to 1/2 cup of other fruits. Some fruits that are available dried include apricots, apples, pineapple, bananas, cherries, figs, dates, cranberries, blueberries, prunes (dried plums) and raisins (dried grapes).
• For a snack, spread peanut butter on apple slices or top frozen yogurt with berries or slices of kiwi fruit.
• Frozen juice bars (100% juice) make healthy alternatives to high-fat snacks.