Did you know that boosting your veggie and fruit intake can add healthy years to your life? It's true. People who eat five or more servings of vegetables and fruits a day are less likely to get heart disease or certain types of cancer.

So why are most Canadians still not eating enough of these? Maybe they think it's just too much trouble.

Here's the good news: adding extra veggies and fruits to your diet is easier than you think. It's just a matter of taking things you already like to cook and eat, and tweaking from there.

Here's how—these everyday classics will give your mealtimes more colour, crunch and nutritional punch by working in more vegetables and fruits.

It all starts with breakfast

No matter how little time you have for breakfast you can fit in some fruits and even vegetables.

• Turn plain porridge into "apple pie porridge." Mix diced apple (with the peel) and cinnamon into porridge. Even quicker, mix in some prepared applesauce for fruity sweetness.
• Instead of plain French toast, serve with canned peaches.
• Take a minute to make your cereal look like the great photos on cereal boxes! Add fresh berries, sliced peaches, nectarines or bananas to cereal.
• Add some interest to a cheese omelet. Toss in some diced leftover vegetables.
• Replace toast and jam with a toasted whole grain bagel sliced in three, with almond butter on one layer and sliced pears on the next.

Let's do lunch

Add some zip to everyday lunches using these creative ideas.

• Give new life to an old favourite by making a grilled cheese and pear sandwich.
• Tuna salad need never be ho-hum again: add chopped apples, pears, canned pineapple, peaches, kiwi, or halved grapes to canned tuna. Mix with yogurt instead of mayonnaise.
• Macaroni and cheese gets a twist. Add frozen green peas or bite size broccoli florets during the last three minutes of cooking, or stir in chopped tomatoes.
• Dress up your regular wrap, pita or sandwich with: grated carrots, cucumber slices, orange pepper rings, snow peas, corn, grape tomatoes halved, baby spinach, purple cabbage shredded.
• Canned soup gets a leg up with a couple handfuls of frozen vegetables.
• Regular hummus is great – this is even better! Add pureed roasted red peppers or well mashed sweet potatoes. Enjoy as a sandwich spread or as a dip for vegetables.

Dive into dinner

Getting two different vegetables to the dinner table is doable. Here's how.

• Serving burgers? Grill up some sliced peppers, zucchini and mushrooms while the burgers are cooking. In addition to the grilled vegetables, offer these tasty toppings: tomatoes, torn leaf lettuce, grated carrots, sliced cucumber, even canned or fresh pineapple slices.
• Re-invent potato salad. Replace half the regular potato with sweet potato. Try the same proportions with mashed potatoes.
• Replace creamy pasta salad with whole wheat pasta salad loaded with vegetables such as canned baby corn, grape tomatoes, chopped peppers, carrots or jicama (a popular Mexican root vegetable that can be eaten raw) and throw in a handful of baby spinach. Toss with a salad dressing.
• Meat lasagna goes semi- vegetarian. Replace half the meat with grated zucchini, carrots and chopped mushrooms. If your kids will balk at the grated vegetables you can always purée them to a smooth consistency and add to the tomato sauce.
• Meatloaf can get a veggie boost by adding grated carrots or sweet potato for extra moisture, flavour and nutrients.
• To make a creamy textured soup without the cream add a baking potato and purée the soup. Try it the next time you make broccoli or cauliflower soup.

Find out more:

See Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide

5-10 a day for better health, by the Canadian Produce Marketing Association

**Have you ever wondered if your favourite recipe could be healthier? Submit your recipe for a Health Check makeover from The Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Registered Dietitians and you could win a free cookbook and have your recipe featured on the Health Check website. Visit Health Check for more details. **