Week 4: Eat Two Fruits or Veggies with Each Meal

Filling Your Plate with Real, Nutrient-Dense Goodness (Instead of Empty Calories)

Hey there, Busy Moms!

If you’ve been following along on our Real Food for Busy Moms Challenge, give yourself a big high-five — you’ve already come so far! We’ve organized our kitchens, swapped out sugary drinks, and started reading labels like pros. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, head over here, for all of the details. This week, we’re taking a colorful leap into one of the simplest and most powerful changes you can make for your family’s health: eating two fruits or veggies with every meal.

Now, before you panic and picture your kids side-eyeing a plate of kale, take a deep breath. This week isn’t about perfection. It’s about adding more of the good stuff to your everyday meals.

Why It Matters

We all know fruits and veggies are healthy, but when life gets busy, they’re often the first thing to disappear from our plates. Let’s be honest — it’s easier to grab a bag of chips than to peel a carrot when you’re running late for soccer practice!

Here’s the thing: when you fill your plate with nutrient-dense foods, there’s less room for empty calories.

Think of it as crowding out the junk instead of cutting everything out cold turkey. The more colorful your plate, the more vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants your family gets — and the more energy you have to keep up with everything on your mom calendar.

Real-Life Ways to Make It Happen

Adding two fruits or veggies to every meal doesn’t mean eating a salad for breakfast unless that’s your thing — go you! It’s about finding easy swaps and small wins that fit real life.

Here are some fun and doable ideas:

Breakfast

• Add sliced strawberries or bananas to your oatmeal.
• Toss spinach or zucchini into your scrambled eggs.
• Grab an apple or a handful of grapes on the go.

Lunch

• Pack baby carrots and hummus instead of chips.
• Add lettuce and tomato to your sandwich (bonus if you sneak in cucumber slices too).
• Pair your main dish with a small side salad or a cup of fruit.

Dinner

• Serve two sides: maybe roasted veggies and applesauce.
• Mix finely chopped veggies into spaghetti sauce or casseroles.
• Try a fruit salad for dessert instead of cookies once or twice this week.

Remember, frozen and canned (without added sugar or syrup) totally count! This challenge isn’t about fancy — it’s about consistent, real-life improvement.

Make It Fun for the Family

Kids are much more likely to eat fruits and veggies if they feel involved.

Try one of these ideas:

• Color Challenge: “How many colors can we eat today?”
• Grocery Helper: Let your child pick one new fruit or veggie each week.
• Dip It: Serve veggies with hummus, yogurt dip, or nut butter — suddenly, they’re a snack everyone wants!

You’ll be amazed how quickly your family adjusts once they realize how good real food tastes when it’s prepared simply. When my family made this change, I was surpised by all of the “Wow! this is good” comments I got. It was like they were discovering foods for the first time.

From My Family to Yours

When my family started our real food journey, this was one of the biggest game-changers. We realized we weren’t eating nearly enough produce. Most of our meals came in a wrapper or box. Once we started filling our plates with fruits and veggies, we naturally felt more satisfied and had fewer cravings for junk.

It didn’t happen overnight, but over time, we found that the more real food we ate, the less we wanted the processed stuff. And yes — even my picky eaters came around (somewhat). 

Your Week 4 Challenge

Add at least two fruits or veggies to every meal this week.

Focus on adding and not restricting. Celebrate every colorful plate and every small win.

Need a little help getting started? I’ve got your back!

Check back midweek for bonus ideas and recipes to help make this easier.

Final Thought

This week is all about progress — not perfection.

Whether you chop up a big salad or just toss an extra banana into your bag, every choice adds up.

Let’s fill our plates with color, flavor, and the kind of food that fuels real life — our busy, beautiful, messy, mom life. 

What Next?

If you have any questions or a story about your challenge week progress you want to share with our readers, go ahead and drop a note in the comments below or you can come on over to our Juggling Real Food and Life Community group over on Facebook. We would also love to hear if you discover any new fruit or vegetable favorites this week.