Five ideas for how to eat more veggies and enjoy them
I talk about eating more vegetables a lot.
It's one of my biggest things... people just don't get enough vegetables in their daily diet.
And that's so sad because vegetables are amazing!
They are full of health benefits including cancer-fighting compounds, anti-inflammatory powers, low in calories, full of filling fiber, and so much more.
Veggies can even make you prettier. A veggie-filled diet can actually help you have better looking skin compared to having a sun tan.
See, veggies are so important!
Unfortunately, people have a lot of excuses for not getting enough vegetables.
Whether it be from lack of planning, taste preferences, or budget constraints, there are lots of reasons why people don't eat more vegetables every day.
This makes me feel very sad, so here are some {practical} tips for increasing the vegetables in your diet. It could even work for adding in some for your children, without having to resort to trickery...
Eat a soup or salad every day.
Soups and salads are probably the two easiest ways to squeeze in more veggies.
I'm almost always in the mood for this Mexican chicken salad because it's gooood
But I don't want a salad every single day, so I make a lot of soups. Plus, I drink a smoothie that is filled with spinach {but you can't taste it!} to help get me more veggie servings.
Try a different cooking method
You may hate steamed broccoli, but have you roasted it?
It's no secret that I love roasted vegetables and for good reason. They are delicious!
Whenever I suggest to one of my clients to roast their vegetables as opposed to steaming them, I almost always get them to like vegetables {and this is really exciting for me!}
My favorite roasted vegetables are onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, peppers, potatoes, squash, um... I like every veggie roasted with the exception of celery
Increase the veggies called for in recipes
For example, the recipe calls for 1/2 cup onion. I bet it will still be good if you use 1 cup or you just use 1 onion. I hate wasting and why not use the whole onion...
There are some instances where this won't work {like maybe in the pimento cheese where I call for 3 tablespoon grated onion}, but for most cooked meals, adding a little more onions, peppers, mushrooms, etc. probably won't hurt. In fact, it might make your meal have more flavor.
Quit the sneaking, make it a game
Instead of sneaking vegetables in, why not just add them and make it a fun guessing game.
Say you make the Mexican pumpkin soup, don't tell your family it's made with pumpkin. Instead, ask them to guess what vegetable you used to make the soup.
In the near future, I'll be posting a recipe for macaroni and cheese made with butternut squash puree {which you cannot taste}. Make it, and then ask your kids to tell you what kind of veggie is in their mac & cheese.
Stock-up on frozen veggies
Frozen veggies are awesome!
I have at least 3 bags in my freezer at a time. I perpetually buy frozen vegetables on every grocery store trip.
Why do I like them so much? Well, you can add them to soups {or here}; make a stir-fry with them; make side dishes or pizza crust with them; they are already chopped; you can cook them in less than 10 minutes; they are cheap {usually less than $2 per bag}; and frozen vegetables are picked & flash-frozen at their peak ripeness - meaning they are frozen when they have the most nutrients and the best flavor.
In some instances, frozen veggies are healthier than fresh because they aren't picked before they are ripe & shipped thousands of miles to you {causing them to lose some of their nutrients}.
Try one new vegetable each month
Keep an open mind and try a new vegetable each month.
Or try a new preparation each month - stir-fried, steamed, roasted, broiled, grilled, etc.
Eat seasonally
Eating seasonally is really helpful if you want your vegetables to taste good.
Nothing is worse than an out of season, unripe tomato. Bleh!
Right now, go for butternut squash, pumpkin, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts
Add vegetables to bulk up your meals
There's no need to become a vegetarian {unless you want}; try adding more vegetables to your meals to make them bigger, have more nutrients, and be less expensive.
This goes back to the eating healthy on a budget post I wrote the other month. If you add 1/2 pound mushrooms to 1 pound ground beef, your ground beef will go a lot farther
Try this in meals like casseroles or stir-fries
Use vegetables as condiments, sauces, or snacks
If you're eating some chips why not eat them with some salsa or homemade hummus
What about making some pesto {or this one}?
Or try some new sauces - see here and here
And then there's always adding veggies into your snacks & appetizers, like kale chips, spinach artichoke dip, and caramelized onion dip
So there are my tips for getting more vegetables every day. What are your tips for getting more vegetables in your diet?
Meme
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