10 Ways to Eat More Fruit Every Day

It’s a well-known fact that people should eat 5 to 10 portions of fruit every day. Yet, meeting those requirements can be challenging at times! We’ve come up with some creative ideas to help you effortlessly increase your daily fruit consumption, easily.

There are so many different types of fruit that you can get endlessly creative with your fruit-filled dishes. The best part? Fruit is packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre and they’re low in fat and calories! They also help reduce the risk of developing cancer, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and help to maintain regularity.

The daily recommended fruit intake is 5 to 10 portions. But what does 1 portion of fruit look like exactly? Each of the following in the list below represents one portion of fruit:

1 apple
1 pear
1 peach
1 nectarine
1 orange
1 mango
1 grapefruit
2 slices of pineapple
2 plums
2 apricots
2 small kiwis
2 clementines
1 cup of berries: blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, grapes
125 ml of pure fruit juice
1/4 cup of dried fruit
1/2 cup of fruit compote, without added fruit
1 cup of fruit salad, without added sugar

Here are 10 smart ways to add more fruit to your diet

1. Always keep some on hand

It is the best way to ensure you eat the proper amount of fruit, as recommended by Canada’s Guide to Healthy Eating.

2. Diversify your fruit basket

Purchase the same proportion of berries as average-sized fruits such as apples, pears, peaches that you can eat at any time of day.

Buy larger fruits such as cantaloupe, honeydew melon, pineapple, papayas and mangos on a regular basis. As they ripen, cut them into pieces and place them in a hermetically-sealed container in your refrigerator. You will always have fresh fruit handy for desserts or snacks.

3. Prepare a fruit plate for breakfast

In addition to your usual breakfast of cereal, eggs, toast or a bowl of yogurt, prepare a colourful fruit plate containing your family’s favourites. Have a fruit plate ready when the kids return from school for a tasty, nutritious snack.

4. Add a portion of fruit to your cereal or pancakes

Strawberries, blueberries, bananas, apricots, nectarines, peaches, apples…any fruit you like!

5. Eat dried fruit

Add dried fruit such as raisins, apricots, dates, cranberries, figs, apples, bananas, or prunes to your cereal, yogurt or snacks. Although they are sweeter than fresh fruit, dried fruit contain many nutrients and satisfy the urge for sugar. Prepare small bag of dried fruit you can carry with you everywhere.

6. Don’t leave home without it

Whether you’re at the office, in your car or doing your favourite activity, bring along a fruit snack: grapes, apples, pears… whatever you like! In addition to getting an extra portion of fruit for the day, it will help you resist the temptation to browse the vending machines, cafeterias or convenience stores when hunger strikes.

7. Freeze your fruit in one-cup portions

Fruits such as bananas, pineapples and strawberries can easily be washed, cut into pieces and frozen. You can also use frozen fruit to make banana bread, strawberry bran muffins, pineapple muffins––and even ice cream! Put the frozen fruit into a blender, add low fat yogurt, mix, and you have fresh ice cream in an instant. Here are a couple of flavour ideas to try.

8. Serve fruits at every meal and in every fashion

You can easily incorporate fruit into many recipes. Here are some tasty combinations that don't disappoint.

Breakfast: Up ‘n at ‘Em Fruity Cottage Cheese, Raisin French Toast

Appetizers: Cubes of watermelon seasoned with black pepper, Slices of cantaloupe wrapped in prosciutto

Salads: Mandarin Rice Salad, Apple-Nut Salad with St-Paulin, Grilled Chicken Fruit Salad, Shrimp and Grapefruit Salad, Fruit Couscous

Soups: Coriander flavoured squash and apple soup, Gingery Cream of Carrot and Orange

Soup Mains: Pork with Fruit

Dessert: Low-fat natural yogurt with fresh strawberries, maple syrup and pecan nuts, Exotic Dark Chocolate Fondue, Mandarins in a Chocolate Sauce, Gouda and Pear Dessert Crêpes

9. When having company over, serve fruit

What could be an easier snack to prepare than freshly cut fruit to offer family and friends! Prepare colourful fruit plates with mangos, cantaloupes and melons and spear the fruit with toothpicks. A plate of assorted berries is also sure to please.

10. At the restaurant, order the fruit plate or fruit salad as dessert

Most restaurants offer fruit plates or fruit salads on their dessert menus. A refreshing finish to a good meal!

Visit the produce section at your METRO supermarket and explore the diversity of fresh fruit we have available.

Expert Tips

Fruit cup ideas to try:

Mix bananas, yogurt, peanut or almond butter and top with slivered almond.
Mix strawberries, kiwis, yogurt, a little fruit juice and serve with grated coconut.

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10 Ways to Eat More Fruit Every Day

The daily recommended fruit intake is 5 to 10 portions. But what does 1 portion of fruit look like exactly? Each of the following in the list below represents one portion of fruit: