There are many ways to add fruits and vegetables to your diet. You can have them as part of a healthy breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, or even smoothies. There are also many ways to prepare fruits and vegetables, including baking, boiling, and steaming.

Here are some simple tips for adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet:

• Add them to your breakfast.

Start your day with a healthy meal by adding fruit or vegetable slices to cereal, oatmeal, or yogurt. Add berries to pancakes or muffins, or use shredded carrots in baked goods instead of flour for a healthier treat.

• Serve veggies at dinner.

Many people don’t get enough vegetables during their day because they’re not planning for meals. Instead of chips, crackers, or bread with dinner, serve some raw carrots, celery sticks, or broccoli florets. If you’re making stir-fry or tacos for dinner, add extra bell peppers and tomatoes instead of using meat as the main ingredient.

• Snack on fruits and veggies.

Having fruit at snack time is better than having candy bars because it provides energy without the candy’s calories (fruit contains natural sugars).

• Add fruit to your cereal.

This is one of my favorite ways to get in more fruit each day. Just sprinkle some berries on top of your oatmeal or other hot cereal, and you’ll start your day off right with a dose of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

• Make smoothies with frozen fruit.

Smoothies make a great meal replacement when you’re short on time, especially if you use frozen fruit instead of ice cubes. You’ll also get a healthy dose of fiber from the whole fruits — not just from the juice that’s often used in smoothies at restaurants and fast-food chains (which isn’t as good for you).

• Add veggies to pasta dishes and salads.

Vegetables are excellent additions to pasta sauces and salads because they add lots of flavor without adding many calories.

• Make fruit salads using whole fruits instead of fruit juice or canned fruit.

Fruits are an essential part of a healthy diet because they provide many important nutrients such as vitamins A, C, E, and K; folate; potassium; magnesium; iron; and fiber.

Instead of buying sugary cereals for breakfast, try adding fresh berries or chopped fruit to plain yogurt or whole-grain cereal. Serve fresh fruit with meals instead of processed desserts like cookies and cake. If you’re having trouble getting your kids to eat their vegetables, try hiding them in other foods like casseroles or pasta sauces.