It’s National Eat Your Vegetables Day!
For some of us, this is a great opportunity to celebrate and enjoy our favorite vegetables, but for others it may be a flashback to when Mom said you weren’t allowed to leave the dinner table until you finished that dreaded broccoli.
Whether you’re a vegetable enthusiast or you tend to avoid them most days, consider adding some colorful veggies to your menu today.
On average, Americans eat 2-3 servings of produce a day—only half the amount we should be eating. The USDA recommends filling at least half of your plate with colorful fruits and vegetables at every meal.
This is easier said than done for some of us. Today, just try to eat some healthy vegetables with at least one of your meals.
Here are some easy ways to include vegetables in your diet:
Start your day with a green smoothie.
Green smoothies are a simple way to up your fruit and vegetable intake for beginners and health nuts alike. Spinach, kale, collard greens, watercress...whatever your preference, leafy greens are some of the healthiest, most nutritious foods out there, and they’re a perfect ingredient for your morning smoothie.
This is an excellent option for those who aren’t big vegetable fans--the fruit in green smoothies often masks the taste of the greens, so you get the nutritional benefits of your veggies without even having to taste them!
Watermelon Extravaganza is one of our favorite summer green smoothies.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups watermelon
1 cup frozen strawberries
½ banana
1 cup baby kale
1 lime, squeezed
¼ cup water
Bring a salad for lunch.
Salads are always a good way to include more vegetables in your diet. They’re great because you can pick and choose what you want to include, and the possibilities are endless. Leave out what you don’t like and create a masterpiece of your favorite veggies!
We made a delicious salad this week that’s perfect for summer!
It included:
Spinach
Shredded carrots
Red Onion
Cucumber
Strawberries
Blueberries
Almonds
It was a perfect mix of vegetables and fruit that left us feeling full and refreshed.
Make a vegetable side for dinner.
Eating some veggies with dinner is an outstanding way to end the day. Some of our favorite vegetable side dishes are: brussels sprouts, baked sweet potatoes, mashed cauliflower, and marinated kale.
Or, if you’re not too hungry, you could always go for some vegetables and hummus! There are a ton of delicious hummus recipes out there like red pepper hummus, sweet red bean hummus, and lemony garlic bean hummus. Dip some carrots, peppers, celery, cucumber, or broccoli in your hummus, and you’ll have a healthy, nutritious meal.
Happy National Eat Your Vegetables Day, everyone!
To learn more about vegetables and why they’re an essential part of a healthy diet, schedule a call with one of our coaches!
