We all know eating vegetables is essential for maintaining good health and preventing chronic diseases. But we also know that sometimes we slack a little on the veggie uptake due to busy schedules, eating out too much, or simply being in a rut with recipes at home. But incorporating more veggies into your meals doesn’t have to be time-consuming or complicated. Today we’re going to go over our favorite tips to add a little more nutritional value to your meals with whatever veggies you have on hand.

Buy more vegetables

Our first point may be obvious. If you have veggies available, you’re more likely to use them. Adding a bag of pre-cut carrots, a pack of spinach, or a container of cherry tomatoes to your shopping list is easy, and puts versatile veggie options within hand reach when you’re cooking throughout the week.  We’d like to think that having them and not wanting to let those veggies go to waste can help motivate you to use them, but we know that’s not always the case. Nonetheless, you can’t add veggies to your meals without having veggies to add in the first place.

Prep beforehand

If you love roasted vegetables, but don’t often have time to actually roast them, do a big batch over the weekend to have them on hand throughout the week. You can also prep veggies by pre-slicing cucumbers, chopping broccoli, rice your cauliflower, or dicing a big batch of peppers and/or onions. These veggies keep well in the fridge and doing all the prep when you have time saves you so much time when you’re in go-mode during the week.

Start with breakfast

Add vegetables to your breakfast by incorporating them into your omelets or scrambled eggs. You can also blend leafy greens, like spinach or kale, into your morning smoothies (and no this won’t make your smoothie bitter). Another option is to top your toast with sliced avocado, tomatoes, or roasted peppers.

Swap your snacks

Swap your typical snack options with vegetable-based alternatives. Instead of reaching for chips or crackers, try snacking on raw vegetables, like carrots, cucumbers, and bell peppers. You can also dip them in hummus or guacamole for added flavor.

Sneak them into sauces

Add finely chopped or pureed vegetables to your sauces and soups. For example, you can add pureed carrots or butternut squash to your tomato sauce, or blend broccoli or cauliflower into your soup. This is a great way to add nutritional density and play around with flavors as you explore and find combinations that suit your tastes best.

Try vegetable noodles

Swap traditional pasta with vegetable noodles, like zucchini or spaghetti squash noodles. You can also try making cauliflower rice or broccoli rice as a healthy substitute for regular rice.

Top your pizza

Add a variety of vegetables to your pizza toppings. You can include mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, egglplant, or spinach, among other options.

Mix them into your meatballs

Mix finely chopped vegetables into your meatball mixture. You can use vegetables like onion, carrot, celery, or zucchini to add extra nutrients and flavor to your meatballs.

Use them as a sandwich filling

Use sliced vegetables as a sandwich filling instead of deli meat. You can add sliced cucumber, tomato, avocado, roasted peppers, or sprouts to your sandwiches for added crunch and nutritional density.

Add them to your stir-fry

Stir fries are a great way to pack in a variety of vegetables. You can add broccoli, peppers, mushrooms, carrots, and snap peas to your stir-fry for a colorful and nutritious meal.

Make vegetable-based dips

Make vegetable-based dips like guacamole, salsa, or tzatziki. You can also try making hummus using roasted red peppers or sweet potatoes for added flavor.

Get creative with salads

Get creative with your salads by adding a variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. You can also add roasted vegetables or grilled vegetables to your salads for added flavor and nutrition.

Order out

Eating out is not always a healthy option, but we specifically aim to challenge that narrative by providing healthy, wholesome, and nutritionally balanced options daily in our deli case. You can find seasonal veggies, lean proteins, salads, and plenty of options for eaters on a keto, gluten-free, or vegan diet. If you don’t have time to spare, it may be worth it to pick up some prepared options to mix and match for meals throughout the week. Getting your veggies in becomes much easier when all the prep and cooking is done for you, and all you need to plate it and enjoy.

Incorporating more vegetables into your meals doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming. With these easy tips, you can sneak more vegetables into your meals and reap the health benefits without sacrificing taste or convenience. So why not try incorporating some of these ideas into your next meal? Your body will thank you!