Vegetables have a lot of nutrition that are essential for our health, so if you don’t eat enough you could be at risk of nutrient deficiencies. However, it can be difficult to get enough vegetables in your diet. It doesn’t matter if you have a picky eater or are too busy to eat healthy. Expert recommends for an adult women to have 7-8 servings of vegetables & fruit per day and for an adult man to have 8-10.
Therefore, in general the average person should be having 4-7 vegetable servings per day. A serving meaning 1 cup leafy green vegetables or 1/2 cup any other vegetable. So take moment and think about what you had to eat yesterday, are you meeting that guideline?
I think meeting the guideline for vegetables every single day really takes pre-planning and being mindful of your daily intake. But to make it easy on you, I’ve come up with the top 5 ways to boost your vegetable intake!
1. Have vegetables for breakfast!
Now I’m not saying you should have a salad for breakfast, though if you want to, by all means! But there are ways to incorporate vegetables into your typical breakfast foods. Try making a smoothie with vegetables – leafy greens such as kale & spinach work great.. You can vegetables to muffins , pancakes & waffles. You can add vegetables to your eggs and make omelette, fritatta, quiche, etc.
Read also: Foods That Help Keep Your Brain Young
2. Prep Vegetables As Soon As You Get Home
After you have finished grocery shopping, wash your vegetables and, if possible, chop them up. If vegetables are already cut and ready to go, you are more likely to eat them. You can eat vegetables such as cucumbers, carrots, celery and celery while you prepare dinner. To save time and effort, many vegetables can be pre-washed and pre-chopped.
3. Plan Your Day & Be Mindful of Choices
Like I mentioned, eating enough vegetables often comes down to planning. Consider what you will eat for lunch and dinner the next day. Make sure you pack a vegetable if you’re packing lunch for work. Be mindful of what you choose to eat out. Instead of ordering a soup and sandwich, order a salad along with your sandwich to ensure you’re meeting your daily vegetable needs.
Read also: Why Don’t We Just Eat Healthier and Better Food?
4. Keep Frozen Vegetables On Hand
Frozen vegetables are great for dinners when you haven’t preplanned a vegetable choice. You can put frozen vegetables with a small amount of water in a microwave safe bowl and have vegetables ready to serve within minutes.
5. Make Vegetables Fun & Tasty
Many people complain that they don’t like the taste of vegetables. There are so many ways to prepare vegetables, there has to be one that works for you! Oven roasted vegetables are my favourite, almost any vegetable with a small amount of olive oil & some seasonings roasted in the oven turns out amazing. Also, try new vegetables. You don’t have to stick to corn, peas & carrots all the time. Check out the produce section in your grocery store and pick out a vegetable you have never tried before.
Do you usually meet your recommended vegetable intake? What’s your favourite way to prepare vegetables?