This document provides 10 tips for choosing and eating a variety of colorful vegetables. Some key tips include eating vegetables low in calories as an alternative to high calorie foods to help lower overall calorie intake, choosing vegetables with more potassium like sweet potatoes and spinach, adding frozen or canned vegetables for quick and easy cooking, and getting important vitamins and minerals from dark green and orange vegetables. The document encourages incorporating a variety of vegetables into meals and as snacks for optimal nutrition.

1. 10 eat deep orange and
tips
MyPyramid
Nutrition Education Series
dark green vegetables
10 tips to choosing a harvest of colorful vegetables
Learn to love vegetables! Eating foods, such as vegetables that are low in calories per cup, instead of some
other high calorie food, may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables
as part of an overall healthy diet may protect against certain types of cancer, reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes,
and reduce the risk for stroke and other types of heart disease.
orange vegetables dark green vegetables
acorn squash hubbard squash bok choy dark green leafy lettuce romaine lettuce watercress
butternut squash pumpkin broccoli kale spinach
carrots sweet potatoes collard greens mustard greens turnip greens
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buy fresh vegetables in-season learn how to prepare and cook vegetables
They cost less and are likely Open up a cookbook or turn on a cooking show to
to be at their peak flavor. learn how to prepare delicious vegetables.
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put a green vegetable buy vegetables that
on your dinner plate are easy to prepare
Make it easy by simply slicing Pick up prewashed bags of salad
a romaine lettuce leaf, topped off with a spoonful of another greens, baby carrots, or celery sticks.
vegetable. “Invite” broccoli or bok choy to your dinner table
more often. Cook until bright green and serve with a dribble
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of low-fat salad dressing. make vegetables interesting by adding
some crunch
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choose vegetables with more potassium Sprinkle slivered almonds or other nuts on steamed
Select beet greens, winter squash, spinach, and vegetables. Add toasted peanuts or cashews to a vegetable
sweet potatoes often. Also choose lima beans, stir-fry in place of meat.
cooked lentils and split peas, and tomato products (paste,
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sauce, and juice) for potassium. stock up on frozen or canned vegetables
For quick and easy cooking, have
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add color to salads frozen or canned vegetables in your Yams
Use baby carrots, shredded red cabbage, or spinach kitchen so you can microwave them when
leaves. Throw in a handful of mixed frozen vegetables you are extra busy.
that have had time to defrost. Frozen vegetables are
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already partially cooked but will still add a crunchy texture. get your vitamins and minerals
Include in-season vegetables throughout the year. from foods
Dark orange and green vegetables provide
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munch on raw veggies vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber, potassium, and many other
Add carrot sticks or sweet red nutrients. Foods are the best source of vitamins and
pepper strips at lunch. Snack minerals. Supplements cannot replace healthy food
on celery sticks in the afternoon. choices for a balanced diet.
Nutrition TipSheet No. 5
November 2009
Center for Nutrition USDA is an equal opportunity
Policy and Promotion Go to MyPyramid.gov for more information. provider and employer.