Only about 25% of adults get enough vegetables in a day – if you don’t include French fries, and the accompanying ketchup, that is. Oh dear.
Maybe it’s the fast food mentality that’s so prevalent, maybe vegetables seem “hard,” or maybe people perceive they don’t have time.
There are tons of reasons people don’t eat vegetables, but today I’m more concerned with how people can start eating more vegetables – and do so easily. This is one of my biggest recommendations to new clients. I find the vast majority of people are just not eating enough vegetables.
Many people will tell me they like vegetables and that they ate broccoli last night for dinner. Or that they occasionally have a salad. Sorry friends, this is not enough. It’s not enough to eat one serving of broccoli 3 or 4 nights per week–the nights you eat at home.
Everyone likes quick and easy food, I know. But you can make it happen without resorting to the drive thru – I promise.
Here are five quick options to inspire you to eat healthier (read: eat more vegetables!) when you’re short on time:
1. Buy pre-washed salad greens and add chickpeas, avocado, tomato, onion, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and your favorite herbs for quick lunches. Recently I declared I’m done making my own salads. There are sooo many good store bought options. I often pick up a couple of bagged salads at Costco or the regular grocery store and they are seriously great. I mean my family is actually eating salad with kale in it, basically without knowing, because they cut it so tiny it’s basically unrecognizable. It saves me SO much time! Just be sure to check ingredient lists, specifically on the dressings, to be sure you are getting a dressing with a healthy fat, such as olive oil or avocado oil, and not processed and refined canola or soybean oil.
2. Get baby carrots and pair them with individual serving size containers of hummus or guacamole for nutrient-dense snacks. Or mini bell peppers, sugar snap peas or even pre cut celery. It’s great to add a bit of healthy fat to your veggie snack to slow the digestion and keep you feeling full longer.
3. Pick up bags of microwaveable frozen vegetables and pair it with a protein and whole grain for simple dinners. Fresh is always better, but frozen vegetables are better than no vegetables at all. Avoid the classic frozen corn and peas, as these are both quite starchy – fine in small quantities, but not as your everyday veggie. Buy cauliflower pre-riced for quick accompaniments – plus you can sneak that in your ground meat dishes, soups, stews and even your oatmeal! (Recipe coming!!)
4. Cut up a bunch of vegetables – like cucumbers and celery – and pair with nut butter for quick, filling snacks all week. Sure you can buy pre-cut vegetables, but most aren’t hard to cut yourself. Cut 3-4 days worth of vegetables when you come home from the store (or while you have a pocket of time when dinner is simmering or baking) and portion them into individual containers or bags. Then they are ready to grab on your way out the door to work or errands.
5. Prep a large tray of roasted vegetables on Sundays and pair with eggs at breakfast, greens at lunch, and grains at dinner. Leftover cooked (especially roasted!) vegetables are actually my favorite! Pre-cooked vegetables last all week in my fridge and I eat them for lunch without having to drab out the cutting board and heat up the oven every day. I love this post on the Kitchen for how to roast any vegetable. It’s a great resource!
Taking the time to buy some ready-to-eat vegetables/salads and prepping fresh produce is so worth it.
Eating habits can be challenging to change, but when you shift your mindset and view eating as an incredible act of self-care, it becomes second-nature.
Your meals will go from quick acts of fueling to enjoyable acts of love that change your life and improve your energy and focus.
Which one of these tips will you try this week?
Need more ideas? Grab my 5 Day Sugar Detox Challenge and get a meal plan and recipes that are free from sugar and packed with vegetables all day!
