How to Eat More Vegetables
It’s no coincidence when dietitians and nutrition coaches teach you the plate method, half of it is vegetables.
Vegetables [and fruits] are a super important part of a healthy diet, and variety is just as important as quantity. No single fruit or vegetable provides all of the nutrients you need to be healthy, so you need to make sure to eat plenty every day.
I’ve been pretty lucky, growing up I was a big vegetable eater. I mean I used to walk around in my diaper with a bag of broccoli and once I ate so many carrots my skin started tinting orange. So yeah, big veggie lover.
I can totally understand how some people can be afraid of them or uninterested in eating them, but there are seriously SO many benefits to having them in your diet.
Not only are they packed with vitamins and minerals, they also have a ton of fiber which really helps your gut health and can give your body what it needs to help protect you against cancer and other diseases.
Think of them as fuel and armor for your cells!
The best part is, typically produce isn’t too crazy expensive (unless you’re bougie and get the super organic-kissed by unicorns type) AND it doesn't matter if you get fresh, frozen, canned, or dried, it's ALL nutritious and yummy in the tummy.
Tips to eat more vegetables and fruits each day:
Keep fruit where you can see it: Place washed whole fruits in a bowl or store colorful fruits in the refrigerator to tempt a sweet tooth.
Explore the produce aisle and choose something new: Variety and color are key to a healthy diet. On most days, try to get at least one serving from dark green leafy vegetables, yellow or orange fruits and vegetables, red fruits and vegetables, legumes and peas, and citrus fruits.
Make it a meal: Try cooking new recipes that include more vegetables! Salads, soups, and stir-fries are some ideas for increasing the number of tasty vegetables in your meals.
Some of my favorite vegetables are brussels sprouts, mushrooms, tomatoes, and peppers.
A lot of the time, I’ll combine the sprouts, mushrooms, and peppers and either bake them in my air fryer/oven or sauté them on the stove top with a little bit of olive oil and some garlic and pepper.
As far as tomatoes go, I love to use them in a multitude of ways: mixed with eggs, add to salads, wraps, top off a rice cake with some avocado and everything but the bagel seasoning… yasssss ma’am!
Some of my favorite fruits are… well… most of them to be totally honest. Some I have regularly are apples and blueberries. And when cherries are in season, oh brother I pick myself up some almost every week.
A good go-to, easy and yummy snack is to freeze red grapes off the vine. I don’t know what magic happens when they go from juicy to frozen, but it is so refreshing!
I know they can seem scary if you’re not into them, but with a little seasoning, veggies can be the best part of your day!
Citations:
Vegetables and Fruits | The Nutrition Source | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Top 10 Reasons to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables (orlandohealth.com)
