Q: Do you have any suggestions for incorporating more vegetables into my family's diet?

— LAUREN OWENBY, Atlanta

CHRIS ROSENBLOOM FIT TO EAT Have a question of general interest? E-mail Rosenbloom Related: • More on food and drink • Restaurant reviews and search More Rosenbloom [an error occurred while processing this directive] • Chris Rosenbloom, Ph.D., R.D., is a member of the nutrition faculty in the College of Health and Human Sciences at Georgia State University.

A: Nice to hear that you want to increase the good stuff in your family meals. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Georgians are losing ground when it comes to eating their fruits and veggies. In 2000, 2.8 percent of Georgians reported they ate less than one serving a day of fruits and vegetables, but by 2005, the number had climbed to 4.5 percent. In this case, a higher number isn't good. To incorporate more veggies into your diet, try these three strategies.

First, try the sneak approach such as shredding or grating veggies into meals so they are not noticed by even the pickiest eater. Grate carrots, zucchini, celery or yellow squash into spaghetti sauce or chili. Add diced tomatoes to macaroni and cheese or add broccoli or corn to soup. Another sneaky way to get kids to eat veggies is to serve them with a dip. Try ranch dressing with zucchini sticks in addition to the usual fare of baby carrots and celery sticks; cheese sauce for cauliflower and broccoli spears; and salsa-topped baked potatoes.

Next, try some new kid-friendly recipes that use veggies instead of meat as the centerpiece of the meal. Stir-frying is a quick and easy method. Try asparagus tips, bell peppers and onions with small portions of chicken or beef. Make entree salads loaded with fresh veggies and top with a small portion of grilled chicken or salmon, or try a spinach salad instead of the usual tossed salad. When grilling, try veggies from corn to carrots. The heat brings out the sweetness of vegetables.

Lastly, try something fun. The Web site www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov will give you a lot of ideas, along with recipes, to increase the type and amount of veggies you eat. One feature of the Web site is the Fruit and Vegetable of the Month; for August, one of the featured vegetables is cactus. Called nopales, cactus pads are a fun way to try a new vegetable. My first taste was in Mexico in a cactus omelet and it was delicious. Look for nopales in the farmers market or grocery stores that stock food catering to Latinos.

Q: How can a person with type 2 diabetes gain weight while keeping blood sugar in control?

— JONG SONG, Atlanta

A: Adding about 500 calories each day to your usual eating patterns will result in a weight gain of about a pound a week. To increase weight and manage your blood sugar, talk to your health care provider about the medication you take, as you might need to adjust your dosage. You can eat more food at each meal (an extra slice of whole-grain toast with margarine for breakfast, a bowl of chili with lunch or a larger portion of meat and vegetables for dinner) or two snacks in addition to your usual meals. Either way, continue to monitor your blood sugar to keep it in check. You also might consider adding strength training to your exercise routine to help build muscle mass.

Sautéed Nopales, Peppers and Corn
Makes 4 servings

Hands on: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

1 large red bell pepper
1 large green bell pepper
1 large onion
1 tablespoon trans-fat-free butter or margarine
4 small ears of fresh corn
1/2 pound firm edible cactus pads, thorns removed, diced into 1/4- to 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon minced cilantro

Cut peppers in half; remove seeds and stems. Cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch squares. Cut onion the same size. Melt butter in a heavy pan over moderate heat. Cook peppers and onions until just softened.

Shuck corn, then cut from cob. Add cactus and corn to peppers and onion; stir over high heat until vegetables are cooked through but firm-tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro; serve hot.

— From www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov; click on Recipes

Per serving: 184 calories (percent of calories from fat, 20), 6 grams protein, 32 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 4 grams fat (no saturated), 8 milligrams cholesterol, 29 milligrams of sodium.

Nutritional bonus points: Each serving counts as 2 cups of vegetables. This dish is high in vitamin C — cactus, peppers and cilantro all contain the anti-oxidant vitamin.