17 easy ways to eat more vegetables
Bored with salad, or never been a crudite fan? These tips will help you branch out with these nutritional powerhouses.
Vegetables are full of nutrients to keep you healthy, support your digestion, and help you feel full. But knowing vegetables are good for you and eating enough of them are two different things. The general rule of thumb is that adults need two to three “cup-equivalents” of veggies every day — that’s one cup of chopped broccoli, carrots, and most other veggies, but it’s two cups for leafy greens.
To help you meet those goals, try these dietitian-approved ways to add more veggies into your meals and snacks.
Plate entrees on veggies, like chicken salad over a cup of leafy greens or stir-fried beef on top of cauliflower rice.
Instead of snacking on plain raw crudites, dip them in salsa or hummus for a bonus dose of veggies.
When you’re cooking ground meat, add in finely-chopped peppers, onions, and carrots.
Use frozen or canned veggies; since they’re already peeled and chopped, they save you prep time.
If you’re sick of a veggie, try switching it up with a different cooking method — roast, air fry, sauté or broil for something new.
Seasonings and sauces add flavors to veggies, like garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and cumin.
Purée veggies to camouflage them: Add spinach or cauliflower to your smoothies, and mix blended carrots and bell peppers into your spaghetti sauce.
Grabbing take-out? Order all the veggie toppings on your sandwich or taco, like lettuce, onions, tomatoes, pico, salsa, pickles, or jalapeños.
Try vegetarian variations of your favorite entrees, like portobello burgers, buffalo cauliflower, or eggplant parm.
Bulk up your pasta dish by adding zucchini spirals or spaghetti squash in with the noodles.
Chop up raw veggies like bell peppers and carrots when you get home from the store — if they’re already prepped, you’re more likely to actually snack on them!
Explore pickling: Pickled cucumbers, cauliflower, and carrots add a tangy crunch to sandwiches and are great for your gut health.
Instead of storing veggies inside the bottom drawer of your fridge, where they will get forgotten, store them on an eye-level shelf.
Buy in-season and from farmers’ markets to save money (and support local).
Make prepping easier with pre-chopped raw vegetables and/or salad kits that can easily be incorporated into meals.
Designate one night of the week to try a new vegetable with dinner, like celeriac or mustard greens.
Sneak in vegetables at breakfast by cooking leafy greens into frittatas or omelets.
Learn more about the benefits of home cooking for weight loss