Challenge
7-day fruit routine
Practice whole fruit as a simple food you can see, wash, and afford. Juice is not required.
Start when you want. The days stay in this browser tab until you close it.
A missed day can be followed by the next small step. NIH describes setbacks as part of changing a habit. Nothing here is a score, and your worth does not depend on a streak.
Day 1: Pick a fruit you like
Choose one whole fruit. The Dietary Guidelines fact sheet lists whole fruits such as apples, berries, and bananas as foods that can be part of a routine.
When. Once today.
An easier option. Use fruit you already have at home.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Build a Healthy Eating Routine Updated 2021-03-26. Checked 2026-11-03.
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Day 2: Put it where you will see it
Set the fruit where a snack usually happens. NIH describes changing your surroundings so the easier choice is the one you want more often.
When. At the usual snack time, or whenever you pass that spot.
An easier option. Keep the fruit in the refrigerator if that is where you look.
- National Institutes of Health, NIH News in Health: Creating Healthy Habits Updated 2018-03. Checked 2026-11-03.
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Day 3: Wash it
Rinse the fruit under running water before you eat it, even if you will peel it. FDA says washing first helps keep dirt on the surface from moving onto the part you eat. Do not use soap.
When. Just before you eat it.
An easier option. Choose a fruit with a peel you remove, and still rinse it first.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Selecting and Serving Produce Safely No update date was listed. Checked 2026-11-03.
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Day 4: Swap one sweet drink moment
At one moment you might choose a sugary drink, try the fruit or a glass of water instead. CDC says sugary drinks are a leading source of added sugars and suggests whole fruit as one alternative to an energy drink.
When. One moment.
An easier option. Keep the drink and still eat a few bites of fruit.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Rethink Your Drink Updated 2026-03-05. Checked 2026-11-03.
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Day 5: Choose an affordable form
Fresh, frozen, and canned fruit all count on the Dietary Guidelines fact sheet. If fresh fruit costs more than you can spend, choose a frozen or canned fruit with a short ingredient list.
When. When you shop, or from the cupboard.
An easier option. Repeat a fruit you already bought.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Build a Healthy Eating Routine Updated 2021-03-26. Checked 2026-11-03.
This day opens on its calendar day.
Day 6: Eat it with a meal you already like
Add the fruit to breakfast, lunch, or a snack you already eat. Pairing with an existing meal is a cue, not a new diet.
When. One meal.
An easier option. Eat the fruit on its own.
- National Institutes of Health, NIH News in Health: Creating Healthy Habits Updated 2018-03. Checked 2026-11-03.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Build a Healthy Eating Routine Updated 2021-03-26. Checked 2026-11-03.
This day opens on its calendar day.
Day 7: Note the cue that worked
Write whether seeing the fruit, washing it, or pairing it with a meal made it easier. Keep that cue if you want to.
When. This evening.
An easier option. Skip the note and only mark the day.
- National Institutes of Health, NIH News in Health: Creating Healthy Habits Updated 2018-03. Checked 2026-11-03.
This day opens on its calendar day.
Established public guidance. The daily actions point at the public pages linked on each day. Encouragement to continue after a miss comes from NIH’s habit guidance. It is not a promise of a health result.
- National Institutes of Health, NIH News in Health: Creating Healthy Habits Updated 2018-03. Checked 2026-11-03.