Most people should aim for at least nine servings (at least 4½ cups) of dark leafy greens or any fruit or vegetable that is a rich yellow, orange, or red color. Try filling half your plate with vegetables at each meal. Eating salads, stir fry, or other vegetable-rich fare makes it easier to reach this goal.

Remember that variety is important to a healthy diet. Exploring the produce aisle and choosing something out of the ordinary can help inspire new interests in fruits and vegetables. Lastly, instead of incorporating vegetables as a side dish, think about how you can make them take center stage and use it as an opportunity to try some new recipes that make a meal around fruits and vegetables.

Most people are prone to reaching for fruit over vegetables, so here are a few ideas for adding vegetables to your diet:

Open and rinse cans of kidney beans, chickpeas, and green beans, etc and toss with a low-fat or fat-free vinaigrette.

Broil sliced vegetables such as bell peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes for just a few minutes until the edges are blackened. Serve warm with a low-calorie dressing, lemon juice, and black pepper.

Add 1 to 2 cups of frozen vegetables to soup before heating; and serve on top of some rice.

Put sliced zucchini, fresh spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, onion, bell peppers and low-fat cheese on a ready to bake pizza crust.

Add tomatoes, radishes, and green bell peppers to a tuna salad

Top chicken or fish with salsa. Each 1/2 cup of salsa counts as a 1/2 cup toward meeting your daily vegetable needs.