5 Ways to Add More Plant Foods to Your Diet
It’s no secret that I love growing my own food. I have been a vegetable lover since I was very young and seeing them grow in my garden, as an adult, has become a passion of mine. But, even if you aren’t growing your own fruits and vegetables, increasing the amount of plant foods in your diet benefits your overall health and the health of the planet. If you’re looking for some inspiration on increasing veggies in your diet, I’ve got 5 easy ways to do so!
5 Ways to Add More Veggies to Your Diet
Benefits of Plant-based eating
While becoming a vegan or plant-based eater may not appeal to everyone, increasing the amount of plant foods in your diet is easy and beneficial to your overall health and well-being. Here are a few of the health benefits associated with eating more plant foods:
- Boosted fiber intake supports your digestive system
- Support your immunity
- Decreased Cancer risk
- A healthier heart
- Lower risk of diabetes
This doesn’t have to be an all-at-once thing, especially if you have children at home who can be picky about what vegetables they will eat. Start by trying a vegetarian dinner once a week and see how that goes. It doesn’t have to be about what you’re taking out of your diet but what you can add to it to be more nutritious for you and your family. Use the five methods below as a guideline when you’re making your meal plan!
Breakfast
It may not seem like it, but there are a ton of different ways to get some servings of fruit and veggies in at breakfast. Smoothies are a great way to fill up with various fruits and possibly even a serving of leafy greens such as spinach or kale. You can add fruit to your yogurt and oats. Have you ever tried savory oats with spinach mixed in with an egg on top? Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, trust me. My personal favorite is a simple avocado or mushrooms on toast situation with some eggs.
Salads
I know what you may be thinking…a watered-down iceberg lettuce salad sounds like something that would get boring really fast. But truly, there are so many different things you can do to make a salad! I follow this really fun lady called the Betterfoodguru on Instagram who makes delicious-looking salads. There are so many options when it comes to salad. You can add herbs, beans, and even fruit. You also don’t have to have lettuce be the base of your salad! I have a tomato-based salad on this here blog!
Get creative and I think you’ll find that salads are a great way to go when adding more plant foods to your diet!
Soups
During the colder months, soups are a great option for adding more veggies to your diet. My favorite is a blended soup because I can just throw a bunch of veggies in a pot with water or stock and simmer them for a bit and then blend it up with the seasonings of my choice. Super easy to make for lunch!
Tray Bakes
I love a roasted vegetable! Tray bakes are basically a one-pan dinner option! Throw a bunch of veggies in a tray and roast some chicken or other meat of your choice on top! The combinations are endless!
Pasta
This is one of my favorite ways to add veggies. I love pasta and I love a veggie pasta dish even more! I love tossing vegetables together with pasta for an easy summer dinner option. Just like everything else, the combinations are endless!
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