Did you eat your veggies today? Or are you still thinking about how to add more vegetables to your diet? You know that adding fruits and vegetables to your diet is crucial but there is often a challenge while doing so.
Vegetables are the most nutritious part of your affordable healthy meal. They have all the essential nutrients that their body needs to function properly. You need vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants and you can get all this just by adding vegetables to your diet. Here is an article on how to add more vegetables to your diet.
1. Start Your Day with Vegetables
How about you start your day with vegetables? Well, you don’t have to do much effort, all you have to do is take multiple vegetables and add them to your breakfast.
- Add Veggies to Breakfast: Incorporate vegetables into breakfast by adding spinach, tomatoes, or bell peppers to scrambled eggs for omelets. Veggie-loaded breakfast burritos, avocado toast with sliced radishes, and green smoothies are also great options for your breakfast.
- Blend Vegetables into Smoothies: You can have smoothies in your breakfast which is a healthy alternative. Try adding spinach, kale, or even cauliflower to your morning smoothie. These vegetables blend well with fruits, so you won’t taste them, but you’ll get an extra dose of fiber and nutrients.
2. Make Vegetables the Star of Your Plate
Include more vegetables in your meal. You have to play around with vegetables to make your diet more nutritious. Make sure to try new things and recipes of vegetables to bring a variety to your table.
- Create Veggie-Centric Meals: Build meals around vegetables rather than using them as a side. Think of vegetable stir-fries, hearty salads, and roasted veggie bowls as main courses.
- Use Vegetables as Substitutes: Substitute veggie-based options for common ingredients. Try zucchini noodles instead of pasta, cauliflower rice in place of white rice, or lettuce wraps instead of tortillas.
3. Prepare Vegetables in Different Ways
The best way to add more vegetables to your diet is by preparing them in different ways. This will break the monotony of preparing vegetables the same way each day.
- Experiment with Cooking Methods: Use different cooking methods to bring out unique flavors and textures in vegetables. Roast, grill, sauté, steam, or blanch veggies to see what you enjoy most. Roasting, for example, caramelizes natural sugars, making vegetables like carrots, squash, and Brussels sprouts taste sweeter and richer.
- Make Homemade Sauces and Dressings: One of the affordable and healthy options is to create flavorful dressings and sauces to drizzle over your vegetables. Whether it’s a tahini drizzle, herbed yogurt sauce, or lemon vinaigrette, a good sauce can elevate your vegetable dishes and make your dish healthy without compromising the nutrients.
4. Add Vegetables to Familiar Dishes
Add vegetables to your dishes especially to familiar dishes. You can make any dish nutritious by just adding vegetables to them.
- Enhance Soups and Stews: incorporate vegetables by adding chopped vegetables to soups, stews, and curries. Carrots, celery, tomatoes, zucchini, and leafy greens are easy additions that add bulk, fiber, and flavor to your favorite recipes.
- Mix Veggies into Pasta and Casseroles: Combine vegetables with traditional dishes like pasta, lasagna, and casseroles. Try adding spinach, mushrooms, or bell peppers to pasta sauce, or layer sliced zucchini into lasagna.
5. Snack on Vegetables Throughout the Day
Another way to add more vegetables to your diet is by snacking on them throughout the day. You can eat them in meals as well as eat them as snacks.
- Stock Up on Veggie Snacks: Make sure your pantry always has vegetables in it. Keep washed, cut veggies like carrots, cucumber, and bell peppers in the fridge for easy snacking. Pair these with hummus, guacamole, or a Greek yogurt dip for a satisfying snack.
- Try Veggie Chips or Roasted Snacks: Make vegetable-based chips by slicing and baking veggies like sweet potatoes, beets, or kale. Roasted chickpeas or spiced edamame are also great crunchy, nutrient-dense snacks.
6. Boost Salads with a Variety of Veggies
Incorporate salads in your meals and add a variety of them to get the most out of your meals.
- Create Colorful Salads: When eating salads make sure to add a variety of vegetables to your salads for both visual appeal and nutrition. Consider mixing greens with colorful bell peppers, carrots, radishes, and tomatoes, and top with a handful of seeds or nuts for extra crunch.
- Try Warm or Roasted Salads: Opt for warm salads for their nutritional benefits. Instead of cold salads, try warm or roasted vegetable salads. Mix roasted butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes with fresh greens and drizzle with a warm vinaigrette for a cozy twist.
7. Add Vegetables to Grains and Legumes
If you want to make your plate vegetable-rich then add them to your grains and legumes as well.
- Make Veggie-Packed Grains: Adding vegetables to your grains will add texture and nutrients to your meal. Mix spinach, peas, and grated carrots into rice dishes, or toss diced veggies with quinoa, barley, or couscous.
- Stir Veggies into Legume Dishes: Vegetables pair well with beans and legumes in dishes like chili, lentil stew, and curries. Try adding tomatoes, carrots, and greens to enhance flavor and boost nutrition.
8. Incorporate Vegetables in Sauces and Purees
How about you make your sauces and purees nutritious as well? Incorporating veggies in sauces and purees in another way to add more vegetables to your diet.
- Blend Vegetables into Sauces: Add carrots, onions, and bell peppers to tomato sauce, or blend roasted vegetables like squash or cauliflower for creamy sauces and prepare them at your home. This will not only give you homemade sauces but sauces that are rich in nutrients.
- Puree Veggies for Extra Flavor: Pureed vegetables can be added to sauces, soups, and even baked goods for a hidden veggie boost. Try adding pureed carrots or sweet potatoes to pancake or muffin batter.
9. Make Vegetables Easy and Accessible
The best way to incorporate vegetables in your diet is to ensure they are easy to access.
- Pre-Cut and Prep Veggies: After grocery shopping, wash, chop, and store vegetables for easy access. Prepping ahead ensures that you’ll be more likely to reach for vegetables when hunger strikes.
- Use Frozen Vegetables: Frozen vegetables are nutritious, affordable, and last longer. Stock your freezer with staples like broccoli, green beans, peas, and spinach so you can add them to dishes without extra prep.
10. Incorporate Vegetables into Global Flavors
You can easily make vegetables a part of your global cuisine as well. Try new dishes from various cuisines and regions and add vegetables to make it more nourishing.
- Experiment with World Cuisines: Vegetables are already a part of various cuisines around the world. Try Middle Eastern roasted veggie spreads, Indian curries or other dishes from traditional Indian cuisine, Mediterranean vegetable dishes, or Japanese vegetable sushi rolls for inspiration.
- Try New Spices and Herbs: Use herbs and spices to season vegetables and make them more flavorful. Experiment with spices like turmeric, cumin, basil, and cilantro to elevate simple veggie dishes.
11. Embrace Plant-Based and Meatless Days
Focus more on vegetables by embracing plant-based and meatless days. You can start by eliminating meat from your meal for a whole day. No eggs or chicken for one day and instead add more vegetables to your meals
- Try Meatless Mondays: Dedicate one or more days each week to meatless meals. Explore recipes for vegetable curries, grain bowls, veggie burgers, and hearty salads.
- Experiment with Plant-Based Proteins: Use plant-based proteins like beans, lentils, and tofu in your meals. These pair well with vegetables and make your dishes more filling.
12. Get Creative with Vegetable-Based Recipes
You can enjoy adding more vegetables to your diet by getting creative with vegetable-based recipes.
- Make Veggie-Based Bowls: Create a balanced veggie bowl with a base of grains, a mix of colorful vegetables, plant-based protein, and a tasty dressing.
- Try Veggie-Heavy Snacks and Appetizers: Make veggie-packed appetizers like stuffed mushrooms, zucchini fries, and baked cauliflower bites. These snacks make it easy to sneak in extra servings of vegetables.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to eat 5 vegetables a day?
Ans. The easiest way to eat 5 or more vegetables a day is by incorporating them into your every meal. Be it your oatmeal or lentil soup, make sure you add various vegetables in it. You can also snack on vegetables to get a more nutritious day.
Is it OK to eat more vegetables?
Ans. Yes, it is alright to eat more vegetables. In fact eating more vegetables and fruits are beneficial for your overall health. Eating clean natural foods help reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
