It’s the start of a new year, and like many people I have continued my commitment to eating healthy. The thing is, when you are working full time, raising kids, and running a household it isn’t always easy to stick to your guns and eat good for you foods. It might seem easier to give into temptation and eat whatever is fast and quick, but with a little planning, you can stick to your resolutions.

The America Heart Association estimates that people under the age of 50 consume less than 1/2 the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables. They also estimate “that if Americans ate the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables every day, approximately 39,900 deaths would be prevented from cardiovascular diseases, stroke and diabetes and $7.6 billion in medical costs could be saved annually.” (source) I don’t know about you, but that seems like a mighty good reason to add another cup of vegetable to my diet.

SUBWAY and the American Heart Association have teamed up to create the +color initiative which focuses on the positive impact adding color via fruits and vegetables has on your diet. Despite what we trick ourselves into thinking, adding more color to your diet even when you are busy is easier than you know!

1. Keep Fresh Fruits and Veggies on Hand. I love making sure I have berries (both frozen and fresh) in my fridge at all times. This makes it really simple to make colorful breakfasts like my favorite rainbow acai bowl or these delicious zucchini breakfast muffins. Having fresh cut peppers, celery, and carrots makes it easy to have a quick snack, or a fast dinner by making a vegetable stir-fry.
   
2. Eat More Salad! Salads are anything but boring these days! There are so many ideas and recipes out there it makes eating more vegetables really enjoyable! I love making a big batch of salad for 3 days worth of lunches. My current favorite is chopped broccoli with cabbage, tomatoes, olives, cheese, and garbanzo beans. I leave the tomatoes and salad dressing off of it until I am ready to eat it. Another favorite in my household is the BLT salad. Which is pretty much a BLT in a bowl! Both my boys love helping in the kitchen and picking out what goes on our lunchtime salads.  And when we are out and in a pinch we check out SUBWAY! The double chicken chopped salad is a huge hit and current favorite of mine.
   
3. Bulk Up Your Sandwich! There are some days that no matter what, it’s just easier to stop somewhere and grab dinner. My family loves SUBWAY, and I love that it’s super easy to create a very filling meal loaded with fresh vegetables. Just like they enjoy helping in the kitchen, my boys get a real kick out of ordering for themselves and picking out what goes on their sandwiches. Currently, their favorite add-ons include lettuce, bell peppers, pickles, cucumbers, and olives. SUBWAY has millions of handcrafted sandwich combinations to create your own custom sandwich or salad, which can offer up at least two extra servings of vegetables to your diet. Which is over 40% of the American Heart Association’s daily recommendation! With ten varieties of fresh vegetables, we have to try really hard not to walk out with a super colorful sandwich creation!

So as you work towards a healthier 2017, make sure you are incorporating one more cup of fresh vegetables and fruit into your diet. It’s a small change that can really make a big difference in your overall health!

What is your favorite way to add more color to your diet?

Make sure you stop by your local SUBWAY and make your subs colorful each time you go! Don’t be afraid to post your images across your social network to raise awareness about +color. Tag @SUBWAY / @OfficialSubway and @American_Heart and make sure to use the #addcolor hashtag!