Thrive with Five

This January, Guckenheimer launched an exciting new program in its client cafés: Thrive with Five. And while this initiative helps people in those specific workplaces meet their recommended daily intake of five fruits and vegetables — all by the time lunch is finished — the same simple tips can assist everyone everywhere to improve their personal wellness.

Just one in 10 adults eats enough fruits and vegetables each day. That shortfall isn’t about willpower. It’s about access and ease. Thrive with Five makes it simple to meet daily recommendations without the stress of planning, prepping or overthinking your meals.

Eating five servings of fruits and vegetables daily offers powerful health benefits, including a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and even all-cause mortality. Many of these benefits come from dietary fiber, which supports healthy cholesterol levels and is naturally abundant in fruits and vegetables. 

While Thrive with Five makes healthy eating at work easy and delicious, we’ve also gathered some practical tips below to help you increase your fruit and vegetable intake both in and out of the office.

How You Can Thrive with Five

1. Make Smoothies

Smoothies are a simple, delicious way to combine fruit with leafy greens like spinach or kale. Both fresh and frozen fruits are great options, and blending instead of juicing helps preserve fiber content, keeping you feeling full while also stabilizing blood sugar levels throughout the day; most fiber comes from the skin of fruits and vegetables.

Try experimenting with seasonal produce and add-ins like flaxseed, nut butters or your milk of choice to create your signature blend!

2. Add, Don’t Subtract

When we think about our fruit and vegetable intake, it’s easy to focus on what to cut out or replace. Instead, it can be more motivating to focus on what you can add. Boost nutrition by incorporating more fruits and veggies into meals you already enjoy, like tossing spinach into pasta, adding peppers to eggs or mixing extra vegetables into soups or casseroles. 

These intentional additions make it easier to reach your daily goals without feeling overwhelmed. Small changes really add up!

3. Eat The Rainbow

Eat in color! A bright variety of fruits and vegetables have different nutrient properties. For example, blue and purple-colored foods contain anthocyanins, which are linked to cognitive health and cardiovascular support, while lycopene, an antioxidant that supports heart health and a reduced risk of prostate cancer, is found in red and pink foods.

If counting servings feels like too much, try focusing on the color of your food instead. A more colorful plate can be a simple way to support overall health and well-being.

4. Go for Veggies First

A simple and effective way to boost your vegetable intake is to eat them first. Starting your meal with veggies can support portion control by helping you feel satisfied sooner and contributing to steadier blood sugar levels. Vegetables are rich in fiber, which slows digestion and keeps energy levels more consistent throughout the day. 

This small shift in how you eat is an easy strategy for supporting long-term health without requiring major adjustments to your meals.

5. Prep Ahead and Mix It Up

Preparing your meals ahead of time while exploring the culinary diversity of fruits and vegetables makes healthy choices easy. Washing, chopping and storing foods in advance helps ensure they’re ready to add to meals throughout the week, and choosing a dedicated day of the week for prep can be especially helpful. 

Mixing up your cooking techniques is another way to keep meals exciting. Try different cooking methods, like steaming, sauteing or roasting, and experiment with different seasonings to find new takes on familiar favorites.

Small Choices, Big Impact

Whether you’re blending fruit into smoothies, adding vegetables to meals you already love or simply aiming for a more colorful plate, small choices can make a big difference, both in and out of the office.

Thrive with Five makes it easier than ever for our clients’ people by bringing thoughtfully crafted options to our on-site workplace cafés. These selections are designed to help you meet the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables easily and without stress, promoting the nourishment and long-term health benefits that come from giving your body the variety of nutrients it needs.