In today’s busy world people are continuing to turn towards processed and convenient foods, and they’re missing out on the vast amount of nutrition found in fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s actually quite simply to up your intake of veggies, and after consciously following these tips for a few weeks it will become second nature and you will be feeling the benefits! When you’re thinking holistically, this is one of the little things that drastically effects the big picture.
The first tip is to have a lot of fresh vegetables on hand. If they aren’t in the house then you’re probably not going to be packing your meals full of them! If you wash, cut up and put them in clear containers at eye level in the fridge then you are more likely to grab them when you’re reaching for that afternoon snack.
The next tip is to always make sure there is at least one serving of vegetables in every meal or snack. So even if you want to splurge for the toasted bagel with cream cheese, just make sure that you add some fresh tomatoes or avocado to the top!
Drink more water. If you fill up on enough water before a meal, you will have a lot more control when it comes to filling your plate. Quite often that unsatisfied feeling that we have is just a bit of dehydration.
Properly portion your plate between vegetables and everything else. Fill the plate mostly with vegetables and then add whatever else you’re having to the side. If you make vegetables the main part of your meal then you will start to crave them more and more. Get creative when your following this tip – swap out regular spaghetti with spaghetti squash, you’ve instantly made a dish made up of mostly vegetables that won’t leave you feeling guilty going back for seconds!
Salads! If you try to have a salad every day or at least every few days you will start to see how many options there are and how much fun it is to create your own combinations and even how simple it is to make your own dressing!
Another wonderful way to pack the vegetables into your diet is through green smoothies. They might sound not so appetizing, but there are a lot of great combinations out there that will pleasantly surprise you! If you blend pineapple in with spinach, for example, it tends to overpower the spinach flavor with a wonderful tropical taste!
All of these tips will help you and your family be proactive in keeping healthy by giving you more of the vitamins and nutrients that your body craves and by giving you the energy to keep active!