How To Add More Veggies Into Your Diet

As much as I talk about vegetables and eating your veggies, you’d probably think I love them. You may even think that you could never be that way. But I’ll let you in on a little secret. I use to be the worst vegetable eater. Even during my time on a fully plant based diet, I was rubbish at it. Yes, I avoided the meat alternatives but I didn’t necessarily have salads for every meal. It took a serious amount of time and effort to get me to the veggie loving life.

However, if you were to eat with me now, you’d see a healthier and more practical eater. I try for balance in all my meals. And I’ve learned to sneak my vegetables in my meals. So if you’re looking to start your healthy journey today or just want to figure out how to get your kid to eat more veggies, I’m here to help. These are the tips that helped me get to my green goodness life.

Make Spinach Your Best Friend

As crazy as it sounds, there are days when I have spinach at every meal. It’s a Monday morning as I’m writing this and I’m currently sipping on a protein smoothie that I added in a handful of spinach. Spinach is my go to for throwing into meals where I need more veggies or greens. The taste is mild enough that it works in most things. Use it as an additional base in your rice bowls. Wilt it into pasta or soups. Put it in your omelette or smoothie. Adding spinach is always my recommendation for making the first step towards getting your daily veggie intake up.

Join The Rice Gang

Buddha bowls have had a serious moment in the last few years. Who doesn’t love a meal in a bowl? There’s just something about them that tastes better. So next time you’re creating your dish, go for a rice alternative. There are quite a few options available that you can either make at home or buy. Cauliflower rice and broccoli rice are two of my favorites. But I’m sure there are more out there to try. Personally, I find the process of ricing things a bit tedious and opt to by it pre-made. You can even find it frozen. But veggie rice is a great way to sneak in more fiber and nutrients into your diet without sacrificing some of your favorite dishes.

Give Your Pizza A Veggie Make Over

I’ve tried a few different versions of this over the last few months. Veggie pizza crust is one of my favorite ways to still eat a favorite dish but get loads of veggies in my meal. There are a few pre-made crusts on the market. But you could always make your own at home. Cauliflower is a fairly popular option for this one as well. But I’ve seen a few that feature butternut squash or broccoli. Just be sure to double check ingredients if you’re buying pre-made. I’ve seen a few I’d hope to try but they had dairy in them.

Try Zoodles

One of original posts on the blog is me professing my love for my spirializer. And if you’re looking for a fun way to add in more veggies, this is definitely the way to go. Again, you can always opt for pre-made ones at the grocery store if you aren’t sure. But zoodles are a great way to boost fiber and lower carbs in meals. They also make for a good base in meals. Zoodles and a good sauce are one my favorite lazy night meals to throw together. Super simple and still packs in all those veggies I’m trying to get in my day.

Eat More Soup

This is without fail my go to when I need more veggies in my life. I throw them all in a soup and call it a day. I don’t know what it is about eating vegetables in a soup that doesn’t make it seem so bad. If you’re looking for ways to incorporate more into your diet, hiding them in a warm soup always seems to do the trick in my house. Put a salad or plate of vegetables in front of someone and everyone is overwhelmingly aware of what they are eating. Hide them in soup and no one thinks twice. If you ask me, soup is the magically solution for getting in more veg.

Use A Greens Powder

My mom likes to joke that I eat something green at every meal. And while it’s probably true and her own doing because she always made me have something green on my plate, sometimes I cheat it. There’s no reason you have to eat a stalk of celery or salad for every meal to get in your veggies. Sure, I love a good salad. But I don’t want to eat them every meal. Using a green powder in smoothies is a great way to boost the quantity of vitamins in your meal. I love this one from Amazing Grass*. However, I had to build it up a little at a time. You can also use protein powder with greens in them as well. Greens powder is the savvy gal’s way of being healthy. Or at least mine.

Do you have a go to method for sneaking more veggies into your diet? I’d love to hear about it. Leave me a comment below and let me know your favorite way to get more veggies in.