8 Health Shortcuts That Work

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables 

The ideal: Have five to nine servings of fresh fruits and vegetables daily. Eat such a bounty and you’ll get a full array of nutrients, as well as plenty of fiber, says Claudia Gonzalez, a registered dietitian in Miami.
 
The next best thing: They may not be farmers’ market–worthy, but sneak in servings this way:
 
 

• Try vitamin-rich dried fruits and single-serving packs of applesauce (applesauce has less fiber than fresh apples but still contains some vitamin C).
• Using frozen berries, whip up a fruit smoothie, which can hold up to three servings of fruit.
• Try canned. Vegetable and bean soups are good sources of fiber and can be as nutritionally rich as fresh produce, says Gonzalez.
• Go ahead and take a multivitamin if you’re still falling short. It may cover key nutrients.