Group aims to boost state's consumption of fruits, vegetables

Ahh, summer. There's nothing like a burger or a hot dog on the grill, with a side of chips and a soda.

Doesn't that sound good?

Not to the Community Nutrition Partnership Council, which has launched the Pick a Better Snack campaign and has persuaded Gov. Dave Heineman to declare this summer "Pick a Better Snack" summer.

The group has reason to be concerned.

Not only does only one in 10 U.S. adults eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables, but Nebraska ranks 44th in the nation for consumption of fruits and veggies. And, Nebraska has the lowest percentage of high school students who eat fruits and vegetables five or more times a day.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends two cups of fruit and 21?2 cups of vegetables each day.

In general, 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice, or 2 cups of raw leafy greens can be considered as 1 cup from the vegetable group. For fruits, 1 cup of fruit or 100 percent fruit juice, or ½ cup of dried fruit can be considered as 1 cup from the fruit group

"Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables each day is an important part of a healthy lifestyle," said Wanda Koszewski, nutrition specialist in the University of Nebraska's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. "Choosing fruits and vegetables for snacks is an easy way to incorporate them into your diet," she added.

But fruits are expensive, and how can adults, let alone teenagers or younger, be expected to choose an apple over a bag of chips?

No, banning snacks high in fat, salt and calories isn't always practical, but we can try to make healthy fruits and vegetables just as available and convenient as the junk foods.

And, to help hold down the cost, we can take advantage of the summer growing season to enjoy carrots, tomato slices and other "convenient" foods out of our own garden or via a farmers' market.

Need some more ideas?

Check out the CNPC Web site at http://www.necnpc. unl.edu or the USDA's personalized food pyramid Web site at http://www.mypyramid.gov/