Even those of us who actually love our veggies don’t tend to get enough of them in a given day. Still, it can seem impossible to start eating more veggies on a regular basis. We feel proud of ourselves when we have lots of salads and fresh veggies several days in a row during the summertime, but can we really say that we do this on most days? For the majority of us, the answer is an unfortunate “no.”
Still, many of us still set a goal to start eating more vegetables and that’s admirable. At least we know where we’d like to be, even if we haven’t figured out how to do it quite yet. For many of us, the task isn’t actually as hard as we think. The key is in knowing how to easily work more vegetables into what we’d already be eating.
If you want to get busy eating healthier, the following are some of the easiest ways to start eating more vegetables every day:
• Join a CSA group or veggie delivery service – When you have access to a share of vegetables from various regional farmers (either delivered to your door or that you pick up from a convenient location on your way home from work), you’ll find yourself feeling far more interested and motivated to eat them. After all, they’re right there and you need to use them up before they spoil!
• Place your veggies in a visible place in your fridge – Your fridge setup helps you to decide what you take out first and what you forget is in there. Think like your local supermarket. Place the stuff you want to move in the most visible and accessible locations. Yes, you should use your veggie crisper, but place the longer-lasting veggies in the back and the stuff that tends to wilt the fastest in the front. That way, you’ll be able to use them before everything spoils. Also, if you’d like to eat something faster, take it out of the crisper and put it right there on the shelf, front and center. Every time you open your fridge it will be a constant reminder to eat it! Once you do, replace it with the next one!
• Do your veggie prep in advance – Once tonight’s meal is on the stove or in the oven and you’re waiting for it to cook, use your time by prepping the veggies for tomorrow’s dinner. Chop everything up and store it in a resealable container or bag. That way, your work will be done for you and you won’t resist eating the veggies tomorrow when mealtime comes around. It will be too convenient! Then, once you have that meal in the oven, you can start again and prep the next day’s veggies.
• Discover ways to make veggies taste irresistible – Sometimes, the tiniest changes in flavors can make the biggest difference in how much you enjoy your veggies. Ever puree cauliflower into a simple, creamy soup? Ever cook Brussels sprouts with a few orange slices in the pan? Have you roasted asparagus in the oven with olive oil and fresh garlic? Try ideas like these and you’ll find that veggies will quickly become your favorite part of any meal.
