Thursday, September 13, 2007 — There's an old saying: "You are what you eat." Of course, that doesn't mean you're actually an ear of corn or a cup of yogurt just because you had them for lunch. But it does mean that your body can only be as good as the nutrition you put into it. And the food we eat is where our body gets most of the vitamins, minerals and fiber it needs to do its work. If we take good care of ourselves by eating the right foods, we'll feel better, have more energy and may be able to pay better attention in school (so we'll do better).


How do you know if you're eating what your body needs? Well, a good place to start is with your fruits and vegetables. You should have at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

That may sound like a lot, but it's not really so much. One serving is about 1/2 cup of a fresh or frozen fruit or vegetable and about 1/4 cup of a dried one. And once you look at all the delicious ways to eat them, you'll see that it's not hard at all.

1 medium banana = 2 servings of fruit
1/2 cup of broccoli = 1 serving of vegetable
1/4 cup of raisins = 1 serving of fruit

This is a wonderful time of year to explore all the varieties of fruits and vegetables out there. We're lucky that we can get most of them all year in Millsberry. But there's nothing like the taste of fruits and vegetables that come fresh from the farms just outside of town. Because they don't have to travel, the farmers can pick them when they're ready to eat.

Right now, fall fruits like apples and pears are ready for picking. But there are also some summer fruits that are still coming in from the orchards, like peaches and nectarines. They all make a great snack after school and it's easy to drop them into your lunch box. What about other fruits you may not have thought about? Did you know that avocados are fruits, too? Many people don't know it, but so are tomatoes.

This is a great time of year for vegetables, too. In the early fall, the last of the summer vegetables are just right for picking: carrots, beets and green beans. Fall brings other treats, too, like pumpkins and acorn squash. They're so sweet, they're almost like dessert. For a quick snack, try dipping broccoli or cauliflower in yogurt or ranch dressing. It's delicious!

And don't forget frozen fruits and vegetables. They're fun to eat and they keep longer than fresh ones. Try some frozen blueberries in your yogurt for a frosty treat. Or try some frozen corn with cheese on a tortilla after school. You can even eat frozen vegetables right out of the box or bag for a fun snack.

Because there are so many wonderful fruits and vegetables available right now at the Millsberry Grocery Store, they've put them on sale! We can all save 50% and that's a great reason to try something you've never tasted before. But remember: don't buy more than you can eat over the next week or so. Unless they're frozen, your fruits and vegetables will spoil if not eaten.