Simple Ways to Eat More Vegetables

Sneak vegetables into popular meals and snacks (pizza, soups, smoothies, burgers, tacos, pasta, etc.) using these creative ideas.

 
bell-peppers-tomatoes-onion-lettuce-mushrooms

One of the most practical ways to start eating healthier is to add vegetables to a meal or snack.

Vegetables are a great way to increase the amount of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients you consume, while also adding color and fiber to help keep you full.

Below are some ways to add vegetables to popular food items.

Chips and crackers

Replace half a portion of chips or crackers with a crispy vegetable:

  • Bell pepper

  • Broccoli

  • Carrots

  • Cauliflower

  • Celery

  • Cucumber

  • Pea pods

  • Etc.

You could also find and test a recipe for homemade vegetable chips using beets, kale, or sweet potatoes.

 

Eggs

Add your choice of sautéed vegetables to an omelet, scramble, or breakfast burrito:

  • Bell pepper

  • Broccoli

  • Mushrooms

  • Onion

  • Spinach

  • Tomato

  • Zucchini

  • Etc.

 

Pasta or noodle dishes

Replace some or all of the noodles in a dish with a spiralized vegetable:

  • Squash

  • Sweet potato

  • Zucchini

  • Etc.

Choose a plant-based pasta sauce instead of a cream-based sauce and add vegetables to it:

  • Bell peppers

  • Kale

  • Mushrooms

  • Tomatoes

  • Zucchini

  • Etc.

 

Pizza

Add vegetable toppings to a pizza:

  • Artichoke

  • Bell pepper

  • Mushroom

  • Onion

  • Spinach

  • Tomato

  • Zucchini

  • Etc.

 

Rice dishes

Replace some or all of the traditional rice in a recipe with a grated (“riced”) vegetable:

  • Broccoli

  • Cauliflower

  • Etc.

Make a baked stuffed vegetable:

  • Serve rice and other ingredients inside a topless bell pepper.

  • Scoop your rice dish into zucchini boats (zucchini cut lengthwise with the pulp scooped out).

  • Bake your rice dish in hollowed out eggplant halves.

  • Etc.

 

Salad

Start with a base of mixed greens:  

  • Arugula

  • Cabbage

  • Kale

  • Spinach

  • Spring mix

  • Etc.

Load up on a variety of different colored vegetables:

  • Beets

  • Bell pepper

  • Broccoli

  • Carrots

  • Cauliflower

  • Cucumber

  • Fennel

  • Green beans

  • Jicama

  • Mushrooms

  • Onions

  • Peas

  • Radishes

  • Tomato

  • Etc.

 

Sandwiches, burgers, and tacos

Add a variety of sliced or shredded vegetables to a sandwich, burger, or taco:

  • Bell pepper

  • Cabbage

  • Carrots

  • Cucumber

  • Lettuce (or other greens)

  • Mushrooms

  • Onion

  • Sprouts

  • Tomato

  • Zucchini

  • Etc.

Replace bread or a bun with lettuce:

  • Serve sandwich ingredients over a bed of greens to turn it into a salad.

  • Eat a burger between two large lettuce leaves.

  • Roll sandwich or taco ingredients in a large lettuce leaf to make a lettuce “burrito”.

  • Etc.

 

Make or serve chicken, tuna, or egg salad with vegetables:

  • Add finely chopped celery, carrots, onion, or bell pepper to your “salad” mix.

  • Serve chicken salad on cucumber or tomato slices.

  • Use tuna salad as a dip for carrot or celery sticks.

  • Etc.

You could also add a small salad or side of vegetables to your meal.

Ground meat

Add finely chopped or grated vegetables to ground meat before cooking it:

  • Bell pepper

  • Carrots

  • Celery

  • Mushrooms

  • Onions

  • Etc.

  

Smoothies

Blend baby greens or other vegetables into your smoothie or smoothie bowl:

  • Celery

  • Cucumber

  • Kale

  • Spinach

  • Etc.

 

Soups and stews

Add a variety of different colored vegetables to a soup or stew. This can be done whether you make your soup from scratch or from a can.

  • Bell pepper

  • Broccoli

  • Cabbage

  • Carrots

  • Cauliflower

  • Celery

  • Chard

  • Collard greens

  • Green beans

  • Kale

  • Mushrooms

  • Onions

  • Parsnips

  • Peas

  • Spinach

  • Turnips

  • Zucchini

  • Etc.

 

If you make your soup or stew from scratch, consider adding a mashed potato or sweet potato for thickness instead of a roux (flour and fat combination used to thicken sauces).

 

Baked goods

See if there’s a way to incorporate vegetables into your baking:

  • Add grated carrots or zucchini to a cake, bread, or muffins.

  • Make muffins with sweet potato or pumpkin puree.

  • Add black beans to brownies.

  • Make savory muffins that contain vegetables (corn, bell peppers, etc.).

  • Etc.

 

Be sure to follow a recipe when baking with vegetables because there are certain step you’ll want to follow. For example, if you use grated zucchini in a recipe, you’ll want to strain it first to remove excess water.

 

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Use one of these ideas or come up with another way to make vegetables part of your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and/or snacks.

Make one small change at a time and make it as easy as possible so you’re more likely to do it!

 
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