6 ways to increase daily fruit and vegetable intake
Eating healthy and changing habits can be difficult! From knowing what foods to choose, to making sure you are getting enough of the recommended foods, while also not eating too much of others, there is so much to keep track of!
I can totally relate. I had fallen into the convenience cooking, thinking this was all I could manage after work and caring for children – I’m tired! With diet trends and changing fads, how to we know what to choose? I went back to the basics. No diets, no fads, just nutrition. How I started? Simply by increasing daily fruit and vegetable intake. Whether fresh or frozen, increasing daily intake can prove to be beneficial for your overall health.
In this article, I’ll cover:
6 easy ways to increase daily fruit and vegetable intake
1. Make a smoothie!
This has been a change that I truly look forward to! You can use fresh fruits or buy frozen in bulk. Either way, this is an easy way to help increase daily intake. Add some plain, no sugar Greek yogurt for protein. Chia seeds are high in fiber and can help to regulate blood sugar levels. Also, adding spinach or kale is an easy, almost tasteless way to incorporate veggies. My favorite fruits to use are blueberries, strawberries, bananas, and avocados. Avocado helps to make the smoothie creamy! Easy for when you are on the go! Toss the ingredients into the blender, transfer to a Blender bottle, and go. Blender bottles are large enough to fit my entire smoothie and the lid makes it easy to drink, especially when thicker. Delicious and keeps me full until lunch!
I love the Ninja blenders (Ninja Blender - Small) (Ninja Blender - Large) for my smoothies. Easy to use, and they last.
2. Try veggie packed eggs
Eggs are packed with essentials nutrients including protein, vitamins (A, D, B12), minerals (selenium, phosphorus), and antioxidants. If you an enjoy eggs, throw some veggies in! Spinach, bell peppers, tomatoes, red cabbage, onions, tomatoes, carrot, mushrooms. It may sound odd but mix in veggies that you enjoy and cook in a seasoned, cast iron skillet with lid. It tastes amazing!
3. Add Extra Veggies to Sandwiches and Wraps
If you enjoy sandwiches or wraps and are already adding lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, sprouts, etc – add more! By increasing these ingredients, you are getting more of your daily recommended servings, while also ensuring that you will be full after the meal, and less likely to snack between meals. I do want to add, snacking is not a bad thing! Just pay attention to what those snacks are and do so in moderation
4. Make Soups and Stews veggie-heavy
If you live in a place with cold winters like I do, soups are a must! Soups and stews can be such an easy way to add vegetables. For pretty much every soup I make, carrots, onions, celery are included. Once the soup is almost ready, add spinach or kale for extra greens – you can’t even taste it! For that cozy, home cooking aesthetic, check out these soup bowls with handles
5. Keeps fruits visible and prepared snacks in the fridge
Whether you work from home or are on the go, convenience is so important in our busy daily lives. When you are looking for a snack, having the fruits visible or having fruits/veggies prepped and ready to go allows for that convenience. Take some time at the beginning of your week to clean, slice and store your snacks so they are available when you are ready. These storage containers with colanders are amazing for cleaning, prepping, and keeping in the refrigerator. Also, I love this 2 tier fruit basket to keep right on the kitchen counter – cute and functional
6. Make fruit desserts!
If you are like my husband, you crave dessert after every dinner! Cravings can be so difficult to ignore. So instead of struggling and trying to block out the cravings, make adjustments to your desserts! Try a fruit salad, baked apples, berries with yogurt. Or, when making baked goods, try substituting applesauce, bananas, zucchini for oil and butter. Doing so can increase nutritional intake, while also decreasing excess fats and sugar
