Consuming More Veggies
Let’s face it. Eating vegetables might not necessarily be challenging, but loving vegetables is. Knowing all the nutritional facts and the health benefits, they still do little to spur us in the right direction. As with most expeditions, having a healthy lifestyle starts simply with a choice. This article is not here to help you choose but to support and inspire you as you journey down a path towards total health. Eating vegetables is the simplest way to start leading a healthier life. It is science, and it’s not. There is an inherent link between humans and nature, and the vibrancy of the colors in fruits and vegetables has caught our ancestors’ eyes for generations. Our bodies crave vegetables, but our minds have warned us that they taste strange from a very young age. Here are tips to change your mind once and for all and bring a bit of creativity into vegetable dishes.
We all have vegetables we are comfortable with and those we have grown to despise. Falling in love with vegetables again is about getting out of your comfort zone. It is essential to diversify the vegetables you are consuming. Eating only one type of veggie will only give you a part of the nutrients that this food group can provide. When shopping for vegetables at your local grocer, try only to pick the seasonal produce. These picks will be fresher than your out-of-season favorites, and they will also be cheaper. Who knows, maybe there is a veggie you've never tried that will change your life!
Add vegetables to your meals.
Incorporating vegetables into everyday meals is an easy way to get more vitamins and minerals and add a variety of flavors. If your meal already calls for a serving of a particular vegetable, be adventurous and add another. Any meal can benefit from an extra boost of veggies. You will struggle to get the suggested daily amounts if you only eat vegetables for dinner. Start with breakfast, add spinach to your eggs or veggies in hash browns, or spin some up into a smoothie. Countless savory breakfast treats can help counteract that morning sweet tooth.
Food, like success, tastes better when you work for it. If you toil in the kitchen to make great dishes incorporating or starring your selected veggies, they taste more spectacular. Having the aroma of the cooking vegetables fill your nose as they are being prepared is guaranteed to improve your attitude towards eating them. In a recent study, a paper coined the term “Ikea Effect,” where a person values a product more if they make it themselves, as opposed to having someone else make it. For this to work, you must connect with the food and start to enjoy cooking. It is a rewarding exercise to make your meals, and you will appreciate your food much more.
In this same vein, growing your vegetables to put on your dinner plates is equally rewarding. Veggies are easy to grow in a garden and will return each year to yield a great crop. They require very little space outdoors and, in some cases, can even grow inside as well. It would be best if you planted seeds that you would regularly buy at the grocery store, like tomatoes, onions, peppers, and peas. Gardening is a great outdoor activity and a great family activity as well. Having access to fresh and delicious vegetables will increase the likelihood of you eating and enjoying veggies more regularly.
Once you have gathered all of the vegetables, either from a garden or grocer, the cooking process takes over. Most vegetables we eat are steamed and served to us overcooked and mushy or undercooked and hard. Mixing up cooking techniques can unlock flavors that you had formerly been submerging. Grilling is a great way to cook your favorite vegetables, which gives them a satisfying and juicy crunch. Baking veggies is another good alternative, with or without tin foil. Stir-fry is also an option that allows you to cook multiple vegetables quickly.
With these quick tricks, you will have new and exciting vegetables on your plate at every meal. The connection between you and the things you eat is essential, and taking veggies from the ground to the table will reinforce this connection. Expanding the variety of vegetables you consume will make you healthier and help you enjoy the experience more. Remember, eating right starts with the choice. From there, the rest is easy.
