Make Room on the Grill for Fruits and Veggies

A guest post from the Produce for Better Health Foundation.

Summer and grilling go together perfectly! Cooking outside on the grill offers plenty of advantages that make mealtime easy, convenient, and tasty. Preparation is simple, it requires minimal clean-up, and the kitchen stays cool. Add variety to meals and lighten up the menu by tossing some healthy fruits and vegetables on the grill.

There are several great reasons to grill fruits and veggies. USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommends filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables at each meal and snack. Grilling is an easy, and tasty, way to fulfill that recommendation. Fruit naturally contains sugar and, when combined with the heat of the grill, it caramelizes, making the fruit taste even sweeter. Grilled vegetables are delicious, healthy, easy to cook, and they offer countless options from which to choose. Once you grill fruits and vegetables, their wonderful flavor will have you doing it again and again.

There are hundreds of different grilling ideas for fruits and vegetables. Grill peaches and nectarines then dice them and make a salsa by adding fresh herbs, chili peppers and lime juice. Grill corn on the cob by husking it, sprinkling on a mix of seasonings such as oregano, pepper, chili powder and salt with a touch of butter, then wrap in aluminum foil and grill until tender. Or grill your dessert! Slice pealed bananas in half lengthwise and sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar, place on aluminum foil flat side down, and let it sizzle. It’s unexpected and delicious!

Eating a colorful variety of fruits and veggies provides a wide range of valuable nutrients like fiber, vitamins and potassium, and most Americans aren’t eating enough of them. Grilling is a delicious and fun way to add more fruits and vegetables to your summertime meals.

The Fruits & Veggies—More Matters website, www.FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org, has even more tips on grilling fruits and vegetables and advice on gearing up for the grill. There you’ll also find user-friendly advice on how to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet; including, recipes, nutrition information, tips for getting kids to eat fruits and vegetables, and even videos. Check out the videos that discuss grilling peaches and nectarines, asparagus, watermelon, avocados, bell peppers, and even canned fruits & veggies!