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101 Exciting Ways to Eat More Vegetables with Every Meal

  • By Jennifer Mulder
  • 30 May 2013
  • 11 minute read

Your mother, doctor and diet books have all been saying it for years: eat your vegetables.

We all know that greens are packed with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that boost our health. Research has linked eating plenty of vegetables to a lowered risk for heart disease and cancer, stronger immunity, better weight management and even happiness.

But often a busy work and social life get in the way of eating those five servings a day. Not to mention that eating 250 grams of vegetables on a daily basis can seem like a lot to chew on. And it’s not just you. Studies have shown that only 1 out of 10 British and American adults eat the recommended amount of veggies a day.

So how can you add more greens to your diet?

There are a few things you can do to eat more vegetables every day:

  • Eat vegetables with every meal. It’s easier to have small portions of vegetables throughout the day than a large amount in one sitting. I’ve also noticed that when you’re focused on having veggies with your meals, you automatically make healthier food choices ‘overall’.
  • Variation is key. Mixing up your veggies ensures that you’ll get all the vitamins and minerals you need. Greens also contain small amounts of alkaloids that can be harmful in very large quantities. However, when you rotate your vegetables on a regular basis, you’ll only experience the amazing benefits of greens for your body.
  • Think in colors. The colours of vegetables signal different phytonutrients, that are important for your health. For example, orange veggies like carrots and pumpkin contain betacarotene, while greens are full of chlorophyll. You can find more tips on how to eat the rainbow here.
  • Try different preparation techniques, both for flavor and nutritional value. You can eat fresh vegetables raw, juice or blend them, cook, stir fry, steam, poach, grill, roast in the oven… the possibilities are endless!

With these general strategies in mind, let’s take a more concrete look at how you can easily eat more vegetables with every meal, even on days when you have little time or energy to cook.

101 Ideas to Eat More Vegetables with Every Meal

Veggie juices and green smoothies

An easy way to add extra vegetables to your diet is to drink them first thing in the morning. The nutrients in freshly made vegetable juices are easily absorbed by the body, while green smoothies contain fibers that fill you up longer. To keep your blood sugar levels stable, limit the amount of fruit you put in your green juice, or add some protein like milk or yogurt to your smoothie.

To kickstart your plant-powered journey, check out Simple Green Smoothies, packed with easy recipes to feel good. 

Savory yogurts with veggie toppings

Who says you can only have granola and fruit in your morning yogurt? For a healthy breakfast that keeps you full until lunch, try a savory yogurt bowl with nutrient-packed toppings like roasted vegetables and poached eggs.

101 Exciting Ways to Eat More Vegetables with Every Meal | The Health Sessions
Photo by Annelies Verhelst

Plant-powered pancakes and porridges

If you have enough time and energy, sneaking veggies into your porridge or pancakes is one the tastiest ways to eat more vegetables over breakfast. From stirring grated carrots through your oatmeal to blending zucchini in your pancake batter, start your day off strong with these veggie-packed recipes:

‘Green eggs and ham’

Give your usual bacon and eggs a healthy makeover by adding colorful vegetables – and health-boosting nutrients! – to your dish. Here’s some inspiration to get you started:

Breakfast bowls with vegetables

Start your morning strong with a breakfast bowl packed with fibre-rich vegetables to keep you full until lunch time. You can go sweet or savory, whatever you’re in the mood for!

Green up your sandwich

Eating more vegetables with your lunch can be as simple as sprucing up your good old sandwich with slices of tomato and lettuce. But if you want to take your midday meal to the next level, have a look at these veggie-packed alternatives to your usual brown-bagged lunch:

Wrap it up!

Getting your greens in can be as easy as tucking them into a wholegrain wrap, pita pocket or even crisp lettuce leafs. Whether you’re going for a Mediterranean-style falafel wrap or a crunchy lettuce roll, these veggie-loaded options make getting more vegetables with every meal effortless and delicious.

101 Exciting Ways to Eat More Vegetables with Every Meal | The Health Sessions
Photo by Annelies Verhelst

Lunch salads to go

It’s one of the first foods that comes to mind when you think of healthy eating: salads. And for good reason: leafy greens are low in calories but abundant in vitamins, minerals, fibers and disease-fighting antioxidants. Watercress, chard, spinach and Romaine lettuce even rank in the top 10 of the most nutrient-dense foods!

Thankfully, the era of salads consisting mostly of boring iceberg lettuce with cucumber and tomato is long gone. Nowadays, we love power salads packed with (plant-based) protein, whole grains, a healthy dressing and crunchy toppings. Which one of these portable salads will you take to work or the park with you?

Vegetable soups

On a chilly day, nothing beats a hearty (homemade) vegetable soup for lunch to warm you up. Store-bought soups often contain a lot of salt, so when you’re watching your sodium intake, try one of these soup recipes instead:

101 Easy Ways to Eat More Vegetables with Every Meal | The Health Sessions.

Vibrant veggie-packed snacks

When the afternoon slump rolls around, resist the urge to hit the cookie jar for a sugar boost and try these vitamin bombs instead.

Sneaky Sweet Snacks

It may seem a little hardcore at first, but you can indulge your sweet tooth and eat more vegetables with one bite. Sneak sweet-tasting veggies like beets, pumpkin and carrots into your baked goods with the recipes below.

101 Easy Ways to Eat More Vegetables with Every Meal | The Health Sessions

Adopt ‘Meatless Monday’

Want to support the environment and eat more vegetables? Get into the habit of planning (at least) one vibrant vegetarian dinner a week.

Jazz up your veggies

Bored with the same plain vegetables next to your meat and potatoes? One exciting way to make your greens taste better is to ‘pimp’ your vegetables. Forget the plain old cooked green beans, and sprinkle them with sautéed mushrooms and onions, or sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts. Get inspired by these surprising ways to jazz up common veggies:

For even more inspiration, check out the king of vibrant, vegetable recipes Yotam Ottolenghi’s “Plenty”. 

101 Exciting Ways to Eat More Vegetables with Every Meal | The Health Sessions
Photo by Maria van Doorn, used with permission

Festive side dishes that steal the show

Gone are the days when the turkey, roast beef or game meat is the only star of your Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner and the small portion of vegetables serves as garnish. No, these healthy ‘side’ dishes will steal the show on their own during your next holiday gathering or dinner party!

Eat seasonally

Eating seasonal vegetables brings you all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients you need most that time of year. What’s more, seasonal veggies typically travel shorter distances from farm to plate, making them the freshest, tastiest and most eco-friendly choice.

Get your spring greens in:

Summer salads to enjoy season:

Make the most of fall produce:

Wholesome ways to eat winter cabbages:

101 Exciting Ways to Eat More Vegetables with Every Meal | The Health Sessions
Pin and save these tips for later.

With these 101 tasty tips at your fingertips, you’ve got everything you need to eat more vegetables with every meal, whether you’re naturally blending them into breakfast, wrapping veggies up for lunch or loading them onto your dinner plate.

Start by making small changes and upgrades of your usual meals, and experiment with seasonal produce. Over time, watch how your energy, flavor horizons and kitchen confidence gradually grows. Your body, taste buds and the planet will thank you for every extra crunch of color you add!

Tell me, what will you do today to eat more vegetables with every meal? 

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