Eating healthy can sometimes be a challenge if you’re stuck in the convenience routine of eating out or you lack confidence in your cooking skills.  Fortunately when you stick with fresh fruits and vegetables, their delicious flavors speak for themselves and your meals can become more nutritious, while requiring very little effort.  Just ask David H. Murdock, chairman of the Dole Food Company, who recently revealed to Oprah that the secret to his longevity is plenty of exercise and eating 33 of the Healthiest Foods On Earth.  Not surprisingly, the fruits and vegetables he features happen to be sold by his company and many could rack up thousands of food miles depending on where you live, but the underlying message is smart and succinct:  eat fresh, live long (and prosper).  David’s list also provides the amazing and diverse health benefits that these foods offer, proving that a nutritious diet is the best health insurance money can buy.  Sure, broccoli may not be the sexiest of veggies, but preventing diabetes, cancer, and brain damage sound pretty attractive to me. 

It’s also important to remember that the fresher your fruits and veggies are, the more nutrition they offer.  So, head over to your local farmers market for some just-picked goodness, or better yet grow some yourself.  Nothing beats the taste of a tomato still warm from the afternoon sun.  When you get to know the people who grow your food, you can also learn about how well they take care of their land.  Healthy soil makes for a healthy you.  So when you fire up the grill this Memorial Day weekend, be sure to throw on some fresh-from-the-market vegetables.  Just toss them in a little olive oil, salt and pepper, and watch them become the hit of the party.  And if you’re looking for some more meat-free options, check out Gina’s Top 5 Fake Meats for Memorial Day.

Let me know what you’re cooking up this weekend in the comments section below!

Photo: My flickr photostream (creative commons)