How to Have a Healthy Beach Day
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Of course you know that vegetables are packed with health-boosting nutrients that support healthy blood sugar levels, protect your heart health and lower your risk of cancer. But that doesn’t make it any easier to get those recommended 3 servings or 250 grams a day in when you really don’t like to the taste of vegetables.
If that’s you, luckily, there are several strategies you could try to add more vegetables to your meals and still enjoy your food.
First of all, experiment with different cooking techniques to switch up the flavor and texture. Roasting squash, bell peppers and onion in the oven, for example, brings out the natural sweetness of these veggies, while grilling corn, zucchini and asparagus gives them a nice bite.
You could also try one new vegetable each season. Browse the fruit and veg aisle of your supermarket for vegetables you haven’t eaten in a while – or ever. Enjoy leafy greens like romaine, arugula or watercress in spring, make vegetable skewers for your summer barbecue, add a mix of mushrooms to your pasta in Fall, or see which root vegetables and cabbages you like in winter.
Thirdly, you can jazz up common vegetables like green beans, cauliflower and broccoli with healthy toppings. Dress up your veggies with fresh herbs, toasted pine nuts, pomegranate arils, Parmezan cheese or even strips of bacon.
Still doesn’t make you eat more vegetables? Then you try these hidden vegetables recipes below.
We know that young children need to be exposed to new foods 10 to 15 times before they appreciate the new flavor. So let the taste of a vegetable slowly grow on your adult palate by sneaking veggies into your meals, and using other aromas – or real flavor bombs! – to mask their taste. That way, you can still get all the goodness from fresh veggies in, without sacrificing on flavor.
Some of the recipes featured pack plenty of veggies, but start with small portions of mild-tasting greens in your meals. And who knows, maybe the taste and texture will grow on you over time!
Just one note if you’re cooking hidden vegetable recipes for a picky eater: Not everyone will appreciate you trying to sneak in veggies without them knowing. Some so-called super tasters, kids with ARFID or very picky eaters will still taste the hidden ingredients, and may lose trust in their ‘safe foods’ when they notice a disliked veggie in the meals they thought they could eat stress-free. If that sounds like your child, partner or friend, sneaking in vegetables without their consent may not be the right strategy for your family meals.
With that in mind, see if you can fool your eyes and/or your taste buds with these 26 hidden vegetables recipes!
1. Mix sweet vegetables in your breakfast staples.
When you’re making porridge or baked goods, mix in some sweet vegetables through your porridge and baked goods. Stir some pureed pumpkin through your oatmeal, add grated carrots to your homemade granola or blend a beetroot trough your pancake batter for a naturally sweetened breakfast.
Sweet Potato Paleo Breakfast Bowl from Paleo Gluten Free
Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats from Kalejunkie
Healthy Red Power Pancakes from Slender Berry
Carrot Cake Granola from Donna Hay
2. Wrap your greens in a tasty package.
Whether you love spring rolls or burritos, stuff your usual lunch wraps with some crunchy veggies. Start with a small portion of mild-tasting vegetables and slowly increase your intake. You could even add a healthy dipping sauce or salsa to pump up the flavor.
Crispy Vegan Spring Rolls from Bianca Zapatka
Frankies, aka Bombay Burritos, from Feasting at Home
Veggie Sushi with Spicy Mayo from Madeline Hall
Tofu Rice Paper Rolls from Lazy Cat Kitchen
Breakfast Egg Wrap from FeelGoodFoodie
3. Stir hidden vegetables in your soup.
Soup can be a convenient vehicle for blending in vegetables. Especially bold flavors like a spicy laksa or miso soup will mask the taste of healthy hidden ingredients. Take inspiration from these soup recipes to get you started.
Thai Style Pumpkin Laksa from Anna Banana
Miso Soup with Wasabi Roasted Lentils from The Awesome Green
Moroccan Carrot Soup with Cinnamon Hazelnuts from Snixy Kitchen
4. Upgrade your pasta sauces by packing extra veggies.
Upgrade your regular pasta sauce by packing extra veggies. Blend onions, celery, carrots or bell peppers through your bolognese, sneak some grated cauliflower into your mac ‘n cheese or level up your pesto by adding spinach or broccoli. Trust me, you’ll barely notice the hidden vegetables in your pasta.
Hidden Vegetable Tomato Sauce from Burpee
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese from The Kitchn
Broccoli Pesto Pasta with Baked Chicken Meatballs from The Modern Proper
Pasta with Pea Sauce from Crowded Kitchen
Hidden Veggies Pizza Sauce from Kristine’s Kitchen
5. Swap part of your usual carbs for vegetables.
Another tasty way to sneak more hidden vegetables into your meals is by swapping part of the carbohydrates of your dish for veggies. Stir fry some coarsely chopped cauliflower through your regular rice or add pureed root vegetables like celeriac, parsnips or turnips to your mashed potato. And swapping some of your spaghetti or noodles for spiraled zucchini, carrots or squash also brings a pop of color to your dish!
(Although the recipes below mainly feature vegetable versions of rice, pasta and noodles, it’s perfectly ok to start small by switch just 25% of your carbs for veggies.)
Cauliflower Rice Carne Asada Bowls with Manga Salsa from Half Baked Harvest
Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles from Feel Good Foodie
BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Pizza from Pinch of Yum
Vegan Pad Thai with Veggies Noodles and Tofu from Bianca Zapatka
Healthy Mashed Celery Root and Potatoes from Zestful Kitchen
6. Stuff your proteins with hidden veggies.
Love making your own meatloaf, fish burgers or beef patties? You can easily add some finely diced onions or grated carrots, zucchini or broccoli to your protein and the fattiness of the ground beef or salmon will help mask the flavor of the hidden vegetables.
Saucy Asian Hidden Vegetable Beef Meatballs from Slimming Eats
Summer Squash and Dill Salmon Burgers from It’s A Veg World After All
Whole30 Chicken Nuggets with Hidden Veggies from Wholefood For 7
Healthy Hash Brown Egg Cups from Happy Healthy Motivated
You may still struggle with the taste of vegetables, but at least you can still get all the important nutrients in with these hidden vegetables recipes.
What’s your best strategy for eating your daily dose of veggies when you don’t really like their taste?
Feel inspired to explore more veggie-packed meals? Check out the latest cookbook from Green Kitchen Stories ‘Quick and Slow’ with 100 quick weeknight fixes and slow weekend meals, or grab a copy of ‘Simple Feel Good Food‘ from Love and Lemons and ‘The First Mess Cookbook’ by Laura Wright for vibrant plant-based food.
