12 Easy Ways to Eat More Vegetables Every Day

Prepping vegetables ahead makes them easy to add to any meal. Photo by Sanket Shah on Unsplash (Unsplash License)

Most of us know vegetables are a good idea, but fitting them into busy days is another matter. The trick is to make them convenient and delicious, not to force down plain steamed broccoli. Here are 12 practical ideas to try.

At breakfast

1. Add greens to eggs

Stir a handful of spinach, chopped peppers or leftover roasted vegetables into scrambled eggs or an omelet.

2. Blend them into smoothies

A small handful of spinach disappears into a fruit smoothie. Mango and banana hide its flavor well, as in our Mango Lassi.

3. Top your toast

Try sliced tomato, cucumber, avocado or sautéed mushrooms on whole-grain toast.

At lunch and dinner

4. Start with a side salad

A simple salad with a squeeze of lemon and olive oil takes two minutes and adds color to any meal.

5. Bulk up favorite dishes

Add an extra handful of vegetables to recipes you already love: peas and carrots in Easy Chicken Fried Rice, wilted greens in Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, or extra onions and peppers in Chicken Tinga Tacos.

6. Make soup

Soups are one of the easiest ways to enjoy lots of vegetables at once, and they freeze well. Our Classic French Onion Soup is a cozy place to start.

7. Roast a big tray

Roasting brings out natural sweetness. Toss chopped vegetables with oil and salt and roast at 425°F (220°C) until browned. Leftovers go into wraps, bowls and pasta.

8. Use beans and lentils

Beans, lentils and chickpeas are often counted with vegetables in dietary guidance. A pot of Easy Chana Masala is a delicious way to enjoy them.

For snacks and shortcuts

9. Keep vegetables ready to grab

Wash and cut carrots, cucumbers, peppers and celery and keep them at eye level in the fridge.

10. Pair them with a dip

Crunchy vegetables are far more tempting next to Creamy Classic Hummus, yogurt dip or salsa.

11. Stock the freezer

Frozen vegetables are picked and frozen quickly, need no chopping and last for months. Keep peas, spinach, corn and stir-fry mixes on hand.

12. Try one new vegetable a week

Pick something unfamiliar at the market, such as fennel, bok choy or butternut squash, and look up one simple way to cook it.

Make it a habit

Small changes add up. Try adding one vegetable to each meal for a week, then build from there. Enjoying the food matters more than getting it perfect.

Quick summary: add vegetables to dishes you already like, keep washed and cut vegetables and frozen options ready, and use soups, roasting and dips to make them more delicious.

This article shares general cooking and meal-planning ideas and is not medical or nutrition advice. If you have specific dietary needs or a health condition, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian.

Explore more in Healthy Living and Healthy Recipes.