I grew up hating vegetables and fruits. It wasn't until I moved to a community of ranchers and farmers that I realized how wonderful real fresh vegetables and fruit can taste like! As a result, I have learned some simple tricks on how to get those veggies and fruits into your diet without too much effort. Note: these are not recipes, but ideas for sneaking foods that are good for you into other foods. Even if your veggies and fruits are dated, canned or floating in syrup, these ideas I hope will help.

l. Corn chowder: yuk creamed corn, but add chopped onion, milk, seasoning salt, pepper and chucked ham, chicken or sausage and you have your self a chowder.

2. Corn casserole: yuk canned corn, but add flour (Jiffy mix), a teaspoon of sugar, three eggs and a zest of spicy Mexican seasonings and you've baked up something better.

3. Carrot cake: raw carrots ho hum, but shred it into a Jiffy cake mix with eggs and milk and you are ready to celebrate a birthday or special occassion.

4. Carrot salad: Shred the carrots, add raisins, walnuts, celery, mayo and Yum.

5. Peas: keep 'em together, pea salad (see #4 above)and add chedder cheese chucks.

6. Potatoes: ok they are everyone's favorite, but add mayonaise to mashed, real cheddar to sliced and scalloped (you can even use those cheese packets from Mac & Cheese if you bake it with milk long enough), canned chili to a microwaved/baked tater and suddenly this staple is not so bland.

7. Mandarin oranges: A regular item at discount stores and on the shelves at food banks. With the price of fresh oranges going up, this little can that is so inexpensive will be handy when added to lettuce salads or mixed into a cake.

8. Bananas: they never last, and if they do they turn black. But mash them into a cake, pancake batter, peanut butter spread, oatmeal and you extend their life.

9. Apples: they love to mate with cake, pie (Jiffy pie crust mix), salads, or squished into applesause with cinnamon.

Learn more about this author, Cynthia Smaagaard.
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