5 Ways to Eat More Fruits and Veggies

We all know fruits and vegetables are good for us for obvious reasons. Yet, it’s a struggle for many of us to make it a part of our everyday lives. I am one of those people who will eat fruits and vegetables if they are visibly around me, otherwise I forget about them. When it comes to vegetables, they tend to sit in the crisper for many days, eventually wilt and die. It is recommended that most people eat at least 2.5 cups of veggies and 2 cups of fruits daily, however there are days I eat 2-3 servings of fruits + veggies while some days, it’s none. So I thought it’s a good topic to talk about here, share ideas and learn about incorporating more fruits and veggies. I hope I am not alone in this so please feel free to chime in.

Fresh vegetables have a crisp texture and they taste better in season but don’t be shy to use frozen and canned vegetables (choose low sodium variety). When it comes to fruit, I stay away from the canned variety as most of them are packed in syrup but frozen ones are great for smoothies. All fruits and veggies are a great source of many essential vitamins/minerals and fiber so don’t fall into the trap of “super food” fruit/veggie craze and continue munching on your favorite fruits and veggies, whatever they may be. Here are my 5 Ways to Eat More Fruits and Veggies:

Choose a healthy vehicle such as nut butter and dips for your fruits/veggies:

In an ideal world, one should be eating fruits and vegetables alone because they are naturally delicious. But not everyone finds it delicious, so I encourage you to eat your apples, banana with peanuts or almond butter with a dash of cinnamon if you like..Instead of a ranch, how about some black eyed pea hummus or roasted eggplant, carrot, and yogurt dip. This is also a good way of getting a little protein.

Roast vegetables with your favorite seasoning before saying NO:

I absolutely did not care for Brussels sprouts and beets until few years ago but roasting them has changed everything for me because it adds so much more flavor and the texture is just fantastic. The above picture is a “Nourish Bowl”. I always refer to this handy guide on how to roast any veggies.

Drink smoothies to get your daily dose of fruits and vegetables:

Smoothies for breakfast is the easiest and quickest way to get 1-2 servings of your fruits and veggies in the morning. Check out my posts on : Smoothie 101 // Make Ahead Smoothie Packs

Get to know your veggies :

Food blogging has given me opportunities to learn about different things I can do with veggies. For example – Cauliflower ‘rice’, Zucchini ‘noodles’, spaghetti squash . Another place for inspiration is farmers market where you can talk to the farmers and find new ways to utilize veggies or ask them for their favorite recipes.

Be a sneaky chef:

I am a little sneaky when it comes to adding veggies to everything possible including instant noodles. I am always looking for ways to add greens to soups, pizzas, and curry recipes because greens such as spinach is mild and works fairly well with recipes. Additionally, I also like to make a vegetarian version of my favorite meat-based recipes such as Restaurant Style Red Thai Curry.

My Top Favorite Recipes with Fruits & Veggies:

• Fried Egg & Avocado Sandwich Piled with Fresh or Sautéed Greens

• Restaurant Style Red Thai Curry

• Vegetable Korma

• Instant Pot Moong Daal With Spinach

• Vegetable Pancakes

• Roasted Eggplant, Bell Peppers, and Tomato Salad

• Green Beans with Sesame

• Nepali Style Cauli Aloo

• Tangy Fruit Salad

• Roasted Peppers & Tomato Gazpacho