How to Eat More Veggies
This post is about how to eat more veggies
Are you trying to eat more veggies? Are you looking for recipes and tips that will help you eat more veggies? In today’s post, I’ll share why veggies are SO important when it comes to weight loss and how eating more veggies can be a game changer for you!
Why should you eat more veggies?
when you’re eating veggies, they GET you full and satisfied quickly, leaving less room in your stomach for other foods
I won’t bore you with details, but I think we all know veggies are GOOD FOR YOU! Vitamins, minerals, fiber, etc. People get all worked up thinking they aren’t eating enough protein, but I would argue we do not have a protein deficiency in this country. When you go through a fast food drive through, all those meals are packed with protein, yet you might be lucky to get a slice of tomato and a piece of wilted lettuce!
veggies are nutrient dense and low in calories, making them a big bang for your buck - generally speaking you can eat a LOT of veggies for very little calories
gut health - eating a variety of plants daily is associated with a healthy gut biome and recently we are hearing a lot about this in the media about gut health and its effect on our overall health. Eating a variety of vegetables is a great way to add a diversity of plants into your diet!
they taste soooo good! When someone tells me they “don’t like vegetables”, I just don’t understand. Vegetables come in a variety of flavors and textures. Asparagus tastes nothing like eggplant, cooked vegetables taste different than raw vegetables and the texture will be different if you boil, bake, air fry or grill your veggies. If you say you don’t like vegetables - have you actually tried EVERY single vegetable out there? One thing we work on in my 1:1 Coaching is finding veggies and whole foods that nourish your body AND you enjoy!
Ok - let’s get into it! Here are my top tips on how to eat more veggies easily!
This sounds redundant, but DECIDE you are going to eat more veggies! Right now, take notes or save this post. If you’re serious about eating more veggies for weight loss and your overall health, then take action on some of the tips I share here! Don’t just scroll on by!
make a list of vegetables you actually LIKE and already enjoy. Don’t try to get fancy and overbuy or buy large amounts of vegetables you are not familiar with. I recommend sticking with your basics and then trying one or two new veggies per week. Its all too common that when we get excited about a new meal plan we overbuy and end up wasting food!
buy a mix of fresh and frozen veggies - use your FRESH and more highly perishable veggies FIRST (lettuce, asparagus, etc.). Save the frozen or more shelf stable veggies for later in the week (brussels sprouts, cabbage, root vegetables).
do NOT feel guilty investing in short cuts. I’m a big fan of bagged salads, pre-shredded or chopped veggies. So often we use TIME as our number one excuse of not eating healthy - but now you can cut down on meal prep time with most grocery stores offering to do most of the work for you with pre-cut veggies. If buying these items helps you eat healthier - DO IT!
find easy grab and go veggies you enjoy. Grape tomatoes, pre-sliced carrot chips or baby carrots, mini-bell peppers, Persian cucumbers, radishes, or pre-cut jicama are some great options! I like to buy the mini-servings of ranch dressing to dip them in.
use herbs and spices, dressings, seasonings, sauces, dips, and cheese to make your veggies more flavorful! Just because you are eating healthy, does not mean you have to eat boring food. I LOVE cheese and just a little of high quality sharp cheddar or Parmesan goes a long way when it comes to flavor.
find ways to add veggies to your breakfast! Add spinach, frozen riced cauliflower or even frozen summer squash to your smoothies,.Spinach, kale, peppers, onions, and mushrooms are delicious in frittatas and egg scrambles
invest in kitchen appliances that make prepping and cooking veggies easier - I cannot say enough how much I LOVE my mandolin and air fryer! For example, my mandolin makes it easy to cut up my Turnip Fries and the air fryer makes them perfect every time! A food processor makes easy work of shredding and grating veggies, too. You can read more about my favorite kitchen tools that make clean eating easier HERE.
start your dinner with a salad - there was a diet trend I heard about from the 70’s and the motto was “always start with salad”! I’m not sure what the rest of the diet was all about, but that is sound advice! By starting your dinner with salad, you’re guaranteeing your first bite will be veggies.
start serving more than ONE veggie with your dinner. I personally do not eat carbs with dinner and I love to serve multiple veggies dishes or a mix of roasted veggies. This adds variety and flavor to the meal, PLUS you’re increasing that plant diversity in just one meal!
challenge yourself (and your kids) to try one new veggie each time you go to the store! Just make sure to come prepared with a recipe and plan, so it doesn’t rot in the bottom of the veggie drawer in your fridge.
don’t give up! old habits can be hard to break and if you want to eat MORE veggies, you’re going to have to be mindful and make a plan. If you’re serious about losing weight and making healthy eating a lifestyle - check out my 1:1 coaching services.
I hope you found these tips helpful - you also may want to scroll through my recipes for some quick and easy veggie ideas! All my recipes are geared towards busy Moms who want to eat healthy!