Vegetables are an essential part of a balanced diet. They are full of nutrients to keep you healthy, fiber to keep your digestion moving, and are generally low in calories to help you feel full while working towards your weight loss goals.
To help you meet your needs, your Sequence Dietitians have put together a list of 20 ways to add more veggies into your meals and snacks.
1. Plate entrees over a cup of leafy greens.
2. Have fun with dips like salsa, hummus or greek yogurt ranch with raw veggies.
3. Finely chop peppers, onions and carrots or add frozen cauliflower rice to cook with ground meats.
4. Utilize microwave steamer bags, frozen vegetables, or canned veggies for quick prep.
5. Switch up the cooking methods — roast, air fry, sauté or broil something new.
6. Don’t forget seasonings & sauces to keep flavors interesting!
7. Purée veggies into smoothies, soups, and sauces.
8. Ordering out? Ask for extra freebies like lettuce, onions, tomatoes, pico, salsa, pickles, or jalapeños.
9. Try vegetarian variations of your favorite foods, like Portobello Burgers, Buffalo Cauliflower or Eggplant Parm.
10. Make a commitment to yourself to eat a minimum number of servings consistently, increasing the goal as your new habit becomes routine.
11. Bulk your usual foods up with veggies: add cauli rice to traditional rice, zucchini spirals into your pasta.
12. Chop and prep raw veggies in batches to have them available. Whole peppers will go bad but cut up peppers will get eaten!
13. Explore pickling — these are great for your gut health too!
14. Store your vegetables at eye level in your refrigerator. Avoid keeping them out of sight and out of mind in the bottom drawer of demise.
15. Buy in-season and from local farmers markets to save money (and support local).
16. Choose conventional produce over organic — there is no significant nutritional or safety benefit to organic vegetables!
17. Make prepping easier with pre-chopped vegetables and/or salad kits that can easily be incorporated into meals.
18. Designate one night of the week to try a new vegetable with dinner. Bonus points for keeping track of the ones you love!
19. Recruit your partner, friend, roommate or loved ones for a game of Chopped: Turn the act of cooking vegetables into a friendly (and tasty) competition.
20. Sneak in vegetables with breakfast by baking leafy greens into frittatas, omelets, or even your favorite whole grain breakfast wrap.
If you’d like to learn more about planning a nutritious diet that includes not only vegetables but also all of the other essential food groups, the Sequence Dietitians are here to help! Message your Care Coordinator to learn more!
