How to Eat More Vegetables: Ways for Making Veggies the Star of Your Meal
Eat your vegetables. It’s a phrase you’ve probably heard hundreds of times, and it’s one that nutritionists tell us is critical to our health. But why exactly should we eat them? There are many reasons, but here are just a few:
Vegetables offer tons of essential vitamins and minerals that can help fight disease. Vegetables are low in fat and high in fiber, which means they keep you fuller longer. Eating vegetables boosts your metabolism, And let’s not forget the taste! Vegetables have come a long way from being boiled carrots – there are so many ways to enjoy them nowadays, including roasted, steamed, sautéed, raw…even grilled!
So how do you get more veggies into your diet? Here are 14 tips for eating more vegetables in your everyday life!
1. Make Sure You Include Veggies Of All Colors In Your Diet
No, this doesn’t mean dying them green or purple – it simply means eating all the different shades of fruits and vegetables that are available to you. Different colored produce packs different nutrients; make it a point to eat something red (such as tomatoes), green (like bell peppers), and orange (carrots or butternut squash) at every meal.
2. Fill Up On Veggies Before Your Main Dish
It might seem counterintuitive, but starting with raw, steamed, or sautéed veggies can help ensure that they’re the focus of your meal rather than an afterthought. Try munching on raw or blanched veggies while you prepare your meal, or steam some extra vegetables for a side dish after cooking the rest of your food.
3. Add Veggies to Dishes That Normally Wouldn’t Have Them
If you’re tired of salads and steamed broccoli, try grilling some zucchini slices and adding them to pizza! Just because something isn’t usually made with vegetables doesn’t mean it can’t be. 4. Incorporate fresh herbs into your recipes. Herbs are packed with flavor – but did you know they also pack nutrients? Some of our favorite healthy herbs are basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary…really, get creative! Throw some in with dinner tonight!
5. Don’t Just Think of Vegetables as Side Dishes
Vegetables make great main courses! Just because you have a steak or chicken dish doesn’t mean that’s all that can be on your plate, and in fact, adding tons of vegetables to your main course can actually make it go further and stretch your dollar further. For example, add tomatoes and peppers to a piece of broiled fish, or cook up some mushrooms alongside your steak. You’ll get more veggies into your diet that way!
6. Think Outside The Salad Bowl
Salads are usually considered healthy – but not always! It’s easy to dress them up with cheese or croutons (both high in fat) or creamy dressing (high in calories), so try making salads with other types of vegetables, like in a stir fry or soup.
7. Make it Fun!
Add veggies to your favorite foods in different ways, or find new ones altogether! One of our favorites is acorn squash – simply slice it in half, add some butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, and throw it in the oven for about 30-40 minutes at 425˚F. The best part? It’s not just good for you…it tastes amazing!
8. Have a Vegetable Party
Invite friends over and let everyone choose their own vegetables and create their own dish to take home. You can go as simple or as complicated as you’d like: you could purchase vegetables from your local farmer’s market (or grow them yourself), then give each guest a bag and let them choose what to do with it. You could also get more creative, like giving guests different colored vegetables of the same type (think purple cauliflower or orange carrots) that they can mix together to create one dish! or guests could even bring their own veggies if they wanted something specific – but remember to set guidelines, so people know you’ll need some help preparing everything!
9. Keep Frozen Vegetables on Hand.
Don’t sweat it if fresh produce isn’t available in your area! Frozen is still good for you. Vegetables are usually frozen shortly after being picked, locking in nutrients that might otherwise be lost in storage or transportation time.
10. Find out where your local farmer’s markets are.
Farmer’s markets are great for many reasons; not only do they offer fresh, local produce at an affordable price, but you can often find unique and unusual vegetables (like purple asparagus or white eggplant) that you’d otherwise never get to try!
11. Keep a veggie journal.
Make it fun by writing down the different types of veggies that you eat each day, or simply note how many servings you’ve had. You could even create contests with friends and family to see who eats the most veggies in a week – it’s scary how easy it is to win!
12. Cut Back on High-Calorie Condiments
Oil, butter, and heavy cream are fine in small doses…but if you use them every day, they’ll add up quickly! Instead, try substituting healthier alternatives like balsamic vinegar or olive oil, or consider using mashed fruit as a condiment for baked goods.
13. For the Kids…
Similar to how we encourage our children to eat more vegetables by adding them to their favorite foods (like macaroni and cheese!), you can also do the same within your own diet – just make sure you’re willing to give something new a try! You can sneak zucchini into muffins, for example, or use pureed cauliflower in place of cream sauce.
14. Plan ahead!
Plan your meals for the week ahead of time so that you can prepare vegetables at the start of the week rather than scrambling to get them in later on. This will help ensure that you have a minimum number of servings each day, and it’ll also prevent wasted food if you do happen to buy too much!
If you’re looking to add more vegetables to your diet, try some of the suggestions above. Whether you have friends or family over for a veggie party or simply keep a journal of what you eat each day, there’s sure to be something new and healthy on this list. For more instant tips and helpful information, you can follow Certified Health Coach, Chaundria Singleton!
