The following eating guide is an Australian Government, State and Territory health initiative from the 'Go for 2&5' campaign brochure. For more healthy eating tips, go to www.healthyactive.gov.au

Most people know that fruit and vegetables are good for you. The fact is, eating more fruit and vegies may be the single most important dietary change needed to improve health and reduce the risk of disease

A lifetime of adequate fruit and vegies protect against:

• Coronary heart disease
• Some forms of cancer
• Overweight and obesity
• Constipation

and also helps to:

• Reduce blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels
• Improve control of diebetes

Easy ways to get more fruit and vegies in your day

Vegetables only take minutes to cook in the microwave, so add a variety in your meals. Fruit needs no preparation for eating, it makes the ideal snack to pop in your bag.

Ways to add fruit in your diet

Breakfast

• Add fruit to breakfast cereal or yogurt
• Top toast with sliced bananas
• Grate apple or pear into pancake mix
• Blend soft fruit like bananas, strawberries or canned fruit with skim milk, yogurt, and ice for a frothy fruit smoothie

Snacks

• Pack fresh fruit for a quick snack at any time
• Freeze bananas, grapes, strawberries and orange for an icy snack
• Puree fruit and pour into ice-block moulds to add to drinks
• Add fresh or dried fruit to muffin or cake mixtures

Main Meals

• Include dried fruit in recipes for stuffings
• Add fruit to savoury salads
• Add fruit to baked fish or chicken
• Add chopped dried fruit to couscous (eg. apricots or apple)

Desserts

• Chop fruit into bite-sized pieces and thread onto skewers for a colourful kebab
• Cut into pieces, add to a parfait glass with yogurt
• Serve fresh seasonal fruit for desert
• Puree stewed fruit as a topping for desserts or swirl into yogurt

Ways to add Vegies in your diet

Breakfast

• Top toast with cooked mushrooms, tomatoes, capsicum or sweet corn
• Chop and add to an omelette or savoury pancake
• Heat chopped leftover vegetables and serve as a topping for toast, add an egg or reduced-fat cheese for a more substantial meal

Snacks

• Top English muffins or crumpets with diced vegetables and sprinkle with reduced-fat cheese for a quick mini pizza
• Serve carrot and celery sticks, florets of broccoli and cauliflower, and strips of capsicum with a low fat dip
• Grate or dice onion, carrot, zucchini, potato and corn
• Grate beetroot and butternut pumpkin to add colour to your salad or sandwich

Main Meals

• Make meat go further by adding extra vegetables in a stir fry or casserole
• Add vegies in season or legunes to soups for added flavour and tase
• Always serve main meals with cooked vegetables or a salad
• Use capsicum, zucchini, pumpkin, aggplant, cabbage and lettuce leaves as edible containers with savoury fillings

Five easy steps to make sure you always eat a variety of food

1. Plan all your meals and shoppin list before you shop. Check that you have included lots of fruit and vegetables
2. Once in the store, be flexible enough to take advantage of specials. Swap to fruit or vegetables in season if they are cheaper, eg grapes or nectarines may be 'in'
3. When fresh fruit or vegetables are in limited supply, check the price of frozen or canned varieties. These may be a substitute at a better price
4. Choose brands of frozen or canned fruits and vegetables with 'reduced' or 'no added' fat, salt or sugar
5. Shop regularly - 2 to 3 times a week if you can. Less to carry, and fruit and vegies will be fresh, look good, taste good and keep their nutritional value