Raw, steamed, cooked, or stuffed vegetables are not only delicious — they are also packed full of essential vitamins and nutrients that our bodies need to be healthy and strong.
Sadly, one of the perceived problems with vegetables is that they aren’t the most convenient food option out there. It’s easy to get discouraged from eating something if it isn’t convenient, which is often how people view veggies.
So if you’ve been wondering how you can eat more vegetables, we’re here to help you and your family gain a fresh perspective and make eating veggies the simplest task of the day.
Veggies & Vitamins: Why You Should Be Eating More Vegetables
We all know that vegetables play an extremely important role when it comes to health and nutrition.
Tomatoes, for example, are what we like to call an antioxidant powerhouse. They are an excellent source of lycopene, vitamin A, and vitamin C – three important vitamins and nutrients that your body needs to be healthy.
Bell Peppers and Cucumbers are also full of health benefits! Did you know that Bell Peppers contain higher amounts of vitamin C than oranges? Or that Cucumbers are made up of approximately 95% water (making them a great way to boost your daily water intake)?
It’s a fact that eating vegetables every day is one of the best ways to keep your body healthy and strong. But how do you ensure that you eat more vegetables and properly fuel your body? Check out our five easy tips to find out!
5 Easy Ways to Eat More Vegetables Every Day
Prep, but make it fun!
Meal preparation is a great way to ensure that your week is filled with healthy food options. Cutting up and cooking your food for the upcoming week makes it much easier and convenient for you to consume the appropriate amount of proteins, vitamins, and nutrients. By preparing all of your vegetables on the weekend, you will be ready for the upcoming week with conveniently cut snacks and meal options. Don’t forget to make it fun – pump your favorite tunes, watch a show you love, or listen to an interesting podcast.
Get inspired!
There’s no shortage of inspirational material out there to get you fired up about food. If you are looking to find inspiration to eat more vegetables, we suggest doing some research to discover new podcasts, social media accounts, or even good old-fashioned cookbooks. It won’t take you long to find the right source of inspiration that makes eating more vegetables easy and effortless!
Find motivation in yourself and others!
There are easy ways for you (and your family and friends) to stay motivated. Doing something simple like keeping your veggies on the top shelf of your fridge will be a constant reminder to snack healthy. Leaving notes for yourself is also a simple, highly effective way to remind yourself of your healthy eating goals. Buddy up! It’s much easier to stay motivated when you’re not doing it alone, so enlist a few veggie buddies and keep reminding one another that you want to be living a healthier lifestyle together!
Add vegetables to simple dishes!
Vegetables can be added to many dishes, and the best part is that it’s super simple! For example, many sauces can have a variety of veggies added to them – not only do veggies make sauces more flavorful and full of color, they also pack a nutritional punch! Smoothies are also a great option if you want to be sneaky with your veggie consumption – throwing vegetables into the blender along with your regular smoothie ingredients is just about the easiest way to eat more vegetables without breaking a sweat.
Eat veggies you like!
We saved the best for last. In order to be successful at eating more vegetables, eat ones that you actually enjoy. Don’t force yourself to eat veggies you don’t enjoy! If you can’t stand mushrooms, don’t eat mushrooms! If you know that both you and your kids despise celery, give them a hard pass! But don’t be afraid to try new veggies, because when you find one that you absolutely love, it will be that much easier to eat it regularly. Eat what you love, love what you eat.
By keeping these five tips in mind you’ll be well on your way to eating more vegetables every day. Keep things simple, find inspiration, and make eating more vegetables as fun as it’s meant to be!