Fruits and vegetables nutrients. Preserving nutrients in fresh foods

• buy the freshest produce available and try to shop seasonally
  
• buy produce loose rather than in pre-packed form as it is easier to check the quality
  
• buy in small quantities - only what you are sure you are capable of eating- to avoid produce going bad and having to throw it out
  
• do some research as to how to store fruits and vegetables and then store accordingly to maximize freshness and shelf-life
  
• avoid peeling fruits and vegetables if possible and don't prepare them to far in advance of using them so that you can avoid losing nutrients
  
• try steaming or roasting vegetables rather than boiling. Boiling can cause the water soluble vitamins such as B and C to be destroyed
• if you are boiling vegetables use as little water as possible and avoid overcooking them. You can also save the water to use a stock for soup