A new survey by Dietitians of Canada finds a quarter of Canadians have days when they don't eat any fruit or vegetables.A new survey by Dietitians of Canada finds a quarter of Canadians have days when they don't eat any fruit or vegetables. (Canadian Press)Almost a quarter of Canadians don't eat any fruits or vegetables on a daily basis, an indication that eating habits have not changed markedly in five years, according to a survey conducted on behalf of Dietitians of Canada.

In a survey of 2,292 adults, 23 per cent of respondents said they did not consume any vegetables or fruit in their account of the previous day's meals and snacks.

Thirty-eight per cent of respondents said they did not consume any milk or milk products in their account of the previous day's meals and snacks.

Overall, the survey found that people regularly failed to consume either any or enough of the four food groups recommended in Canada's Food Guide. The four food groups are fruits and veggies, grains, milk and milk products, and meat and protein alternatives.Gouda & lentil soup can be made in 30 minutes.Gouda & lentil soup can be made in 30 minutes. (Dairy Farmers of Canada)

Toronto-area dietitian Kathy Furgala said she was surprised at the numbers and disappointed at the lack of progress in getting Canadians to eat the right amounts the four food groups.

A landmark 2004 Statistics Canada study of eating habits found that a quarter of our calories came from snacking. It found the 10 top snack foods were chips, pop and chocolate bars.

"As a dietitian, I would have hoped things would have improved," Furgala said in an interview with CBC News.

Gouda & lentil soup (6 servings)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp (15 ml) butter

1 cup (250 ml) chopped onion

1 cup (250 ml) thinly sliced celery (or baby spinach leaves, if desired)

4 cups (1 L) peeled, diced sweet potato (about 2)

½ tsp (2 ml) ground cumin

4 cups (1 L) reduced-sodium chicken broth

19 oz (540 ml) can lentils, drained and rinsed

1 cup (250 ml) shredded Canadian Gouda, divided

Salt and pepper, to taste

½ cup (125 ml) grape tomatoes, quartered

10 minutes preparation time

20 minutes cooking time

Preparation: In a pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery and sauté for 3 minutes or until softened. Stir in sweet potatoes and cumin and sauté for 2 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

In a blender, in batches, or with an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth. Return to pot if using a blender. Stir in lentils; cook on medium heat for 2 minutes or until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in half of the Gouda (and all of the spinach leaves if you chose not to use celery). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle each serving with remaining Gouda and tomatoes.

The survey, conducted by Ipsos Reid for the Dairy Farmers of Canada in conjunction with Dietitians of Canada, found most people blamed time constraints and the hassles of food preparation for not getting enough of all four food groups.

"It's very easy to eat convenience food, to grab something on the way home," Furgala said.

However, there are strategies to wean yourself off the convenience of packaged snacks and order-in pizza.

"It doesn't take much more time if you can just do some meal planning," Furgala said. "You can throw together a really healthy hearty soup in 20 minutes. I just did that. It was a recipe I found in a back-to-school flyer, a soup that had sweet potato, grated Gouda, and the kids loved it."

One of the first things Furgala recommends is to plan, and it doesn't necessarily have to be for every meal of every day.

"Even just planning for two or three main courses through the week, then you have leftovers for lunch," she said. "If you're using leftovers, add to them. If you have spaghetti from last night, add a salad to it. If you're having a hearty soup, add a nice whole grain bread for your four food groups."

Next, she recommends tossing out the pre-packaged snacks.

"Eliminate the competition," Furgala said. "Stock the fridge with food-group food. Find some recipes that you can make in one pot."

Lastly, Furgala recommends keeping the four food groups in mind.

"For people who say, 'I don't want to worry about the food groups,' just look at your plate," and see if you can't throw in one veggie or some cheese, she said.