We know veggies are not the sexiest, coolest, or most amazing thing to eat. They are often boring, and we don't want to eat them but know that we need to, just like what we tell our kids. Vegetables are full of vitamins, fiber, and water and are also low-calorie, which makes them a fabulous choice for weight loss. Now we all know we could be better about consuming more veggies and today we tackle that challenge. We give you some excellent ideas on how to sneak in more veggies every day, in fact, some of these are so sneaky we guarantee your kids or vegetable-hating significant other won't even notice.
Tip 1: Adding spinach to your smoothies. This tip is SUPER easy and a great way to add in some greens without altering the taste of your smoothie. Next time you're whipping up a smoothie add in 1 cup of spinach to give your smoothie an iron and fiber boost. Spinach is also very affordable and can be found at any supermarket making it an easy addition to your weekly grocery list.
Tip 2: Make your pasta dishes half-veggie (or all-veggie). You've likely heard of zoodles (zucchini spirals) to make a pasta dish vs. making a dish with spaghetti. While we know zoodles are a good alternative to pasta, most of us can tell the zoodles aren't the real deal which means we aren't as happy to consume them. Instead of bypassing zoodles, try doing half zoodles and half regular pasta. Or try half zoodles and half high protein pasta like pasta made from lentils, chickpeas, or quinoa. If zoodles aren't your thing, try veggie-based pasta which comes in a box and is shaped like regular pasta except they are made with cauliflower, sweet potatoes, and even a blend of greens.
Tip 3: Try old favorites made with vegetables instead. Veggies can really be anything they want to be these days. Pizza? Sure. Wraps? Absolutely. Mashed potatoes? Yes. Nuggets and burgers? Of course! Vegetables have come a long way and are now used to substitute some old favorites. So next time you are at the store, look around and see what veggie-based items you can find and would be open to trying. From cauliflower crust pizza to mixed veggie nuggets to broccoli rice, you can find a bunch of food items that make sneaking in veggies easier than ever.
Tip 4: Add in vegetables every chance you get. For example, if you are making omelets, throw in some extra tomatoes, spinach, and onions. If you are making pasta, opt for a pasta primavera and chop in even more veggies. Try making a side salad with every dinner entree even if the entree has veggies already in it. Blend finely chopped mushrooms into ground meats or swap your hamburger bun for eggplant, roasted pepper, or lettuce buns.
Tip 5: Try preparing veggies differently. If you don’t like a certain vegetable that you’ve only tried boiled, give roasting a try or air frying. So many people who hate boiled Brussels sprouts end up loving roasted or sauteed sprouts. By mixing up the preparation method you bring out new or different flavors in the veggies which you might enjoy a lot more than another prep style or method.
We hope you feel more inspired than ever to sneak more vegetables into your everyday meals. By making veggies a regular part of your eating habits, you’ll significantly increase your intake of fiber, nutrients, and antioxidants as well as aid your weight loss efforts.
CON-1683-001 06/23