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5 fruit and vegetable hacks

Save some time in the kitchen! Here are some hacks including mango, pomegranate, and grapes.

    by Stefanie Weiner, RD, LDN, clinical dietitian, Healthy Weight Program at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
    Published 

The benefits of eating the recommended 5 servings of fruit and vegetables daily are well documented. Among them are a reduced risk of nutrition-related chronic illness and a significant increase in dietary deliciousness. Here are 5 fruit and vegetable hacks to make preparing them a snap.

Once you have mastered these hacks, test out your new skills with a recipe or two from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Nutrition in the Kitchen cookbook. This collection of 50 recipes and useful nutrition information was written by CHOP's Healthy Weight Program and designed to get kids and their families cooking together. To start, try the Crispy Tomato Toast, Cooked with a Kick Green Beans, and Golden Kernel Pie.

  1. Mango, and more

    • Slice down the fruit, parallel to the seed inside.  Use a glass to scoop out the fruit and enjoy! Watch this video to see it in action.
    • This can also work with avocado and kiwi.
    • Now if you really want to get fancy, check out the technique in this video.

  1. Pomegranate

    • It's tart, it's sweet, it's full of antioxidants, and it can really stain your clothes.
    • With a sharp knife, score around the entire fruit. Here's a step-by-step video.
    • Peel it apart in a big bowl of water.
    • Keep your clothes clean! 

  1. Spaghetti squash

    • This wondrous vegetable seems like a cross between a winter squash and a box of spaghetti.
    • It can be cooked easily in the oven, microwave, or crock pot.
    • But wait, that's not even the hack.
    • Cut around the equator for longer strands!

  1. Corn

    • Cutting those sweet kernels right off the cob can be messy and dangerous. 
    • Stabilize the cob on a small over-turned bowl placed inside a bigger bowl to collect the kernels. Here's a video that shows how it's done.

  1. Grapes and Grape Tomatoes

*Here's a bonus hack!

  1. Garlic

    • Add flavor to your daily vegetables without adding fat or salt.
    • Plop a whole head in a jar, screw on the lid and shake vigorously.  Bonus points if you break a sweat! See how it works in this video.

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