Easy Ways to Make Nutritious Meals and Snacks.

In the Morning:

• Slice bananas or add sweet berries to your cereal, pancakes, or waffles. Drink a cool glass of 100% orange, grapefruit, or tomato juice with your morning meal.
• Add diced tomatoes, onions, and peppers to your eggs for a healthy head start.
• Give your peanut butter sandwiches a new twist, add apples, sliced bananas, raisins, or dates.
• Refresh yourself with a fruit smoothie. Blend together orange juice, pineapple chunks, frozen berries, sliced peaches, and crushed ice until smooth.

During the Day:

• Perk up your sandwiches with extra lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and onions.
• Pack baby carrots, nuts, or dried fruit for a snack at school or play.
• In a hurry? Grab an apple, an orange or any other fruit for a quick treat.
• Munch on veggies, pretzels, or popcorn.
• Refresh your thirst with water or 100% juice.

In the Evening:

• Make a meal in minutes by topping rice with your favorite stir-fried vegetables and grilled lean meats.
• Top pastas, salads, soups, and casseroles with vegetables and cooked skinless chicken slices for a quick one-dish meal.
• Bake your potato in the microwave, then split and stuff it with green onions, salsa, pinto beans, and nonfat plain yogurt.

Sources: Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ United States Department of Agriculture. Food and Nutrition Service. California Department of Health Services. California 5 A Day.