10 Ways to Eat More Vegetables

#1: The Fast Cooking Method Use the microwave to cook fresh or frozen vegetables. A plate of vegetables can be easily prepared by placing some peas, carrots, and broccoli in a bowl of water and simply warming it up in the microwave.

#2: Prepare it earlier Prepare your vegetables (peeling, cutting, washing) in advance and place it in the refrigerator. When you feel hungry, you can use these prepped vegetables to make a quick salad.

#3: Choose Colorful Vegetables Incorporate a variety of colorful vegetables (red, orange and green) onto your plate. Acorns, pumpkins, cherry tomatoes, sweet potatoes etc., are not only tasty, but contain health benefits as well. Eating colorful vegetables exposes our bodies to a variety of vitamins and minerals as well.

#4: Eat Frozen Vegetables Frozen vegetables are convenient, healthy, and easy to make. They have the same nutritional value as fresh vegetables. To increase your vegetable intake, try adding frozen vegetables such as corn, peas, beans, spinach, or others that you prefer to make a healthy side dish.

#5: Eat Canned Vegetables One may refer to canned foods as a great invention to increase vegetable intake. Canned vegetables such as tomatoes, legumes (ex. kidney bean chickpeas), mushrooms, and beets, consist of the same nutritional value as the fresh vegetables. Remember to choose those labeled with “reduced sodium, low sodium or no salt added”.

#6: Make Your Garden Salad More Colorful Use the most colorful vegetables to prepare your salad, such as black bean, sliced tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, chopped red cabbage, or watercress. Your salad will look colorful and taste delicious.

#7: Make a Vegetable Soup Consume more vegetables by making a soup! For example, try using tomato or kabocha to make the vegetable soup. If you decide to add chicken stock, remember to select the type that contains reduced sodium.

#8: Going Out to Eat Do not worry if you go out for dinner at a restaurant! When you order food, request for more vegetables or salad, and avoid the ones that are deep fried.

#9: Eat Seasonal Vegetables Spend less money and buy vegetables that are in season. You can check the local supermarket or farmer’s market.

#10: Try New Foods Try new vegetables, or else you will never know if you like to eat it or not. Pick new vegetables and incorporate them to your recipes.

Interested in learning about weight goal and nutrition needs? Schedule a free body weight and fat% analysis with Hazel at 626-283-5128 or email to hazel@smarteater.net.