We all know that eating more plants is rule number one for “eating better.” But what if you are a veggie-phobe? Eating four servings of vegetables a day can be crazy challenging if you’re a grab and go eater, a poor planner, or loathe all things green.
Even when you know you need to incorporate more vegetables into your diet, it’s easy to look at the clock at dinner time and realize not one bite of nature’s bounty has passed your lips all day.
So how do you get more vegetables into your daily intake?
We recommend Stealth Veggies. Sneak those suckers into every meal and snack. If you just seep tucking a little something green in every meal you’ll find that you’ve eaten your quota without even thinking about it.
Truly, vegetables are a gift it comes to weight loss. They bulk up your meals and add minimal calories. They add flavor, texture, and fiber, which means they fill you up, AND they help you empty out—both of which are essential to supercharging your healthy eating plan into helping you lose weight. They are also nature’s way of helping your body naturally detox. You don’t need fancy cleanses or detoxes. You just need your daily dose of veggies!
But enough cheerleading — how do you sneak veggies into every meal? Here are some of our favorite approaches which help make them more palatable for veggie-haters and even if you love them, they might help you get more veggies into your kids too.
Breakfast
- Crustless veggie quiches are a portable veggie packed protein.
- Make a sweet potato veggie hash and top it with a poached egg.
- Egg white, veggie frittatas are pretty and fiercely healthy.
- Grate zucchini into your oatmeal as you cook it, seriously, you won’t even notice it.
- Try pumpkin pancakes!
- Better yet, grab whatever veggies are in your fridge and add them to scrambled eggs. Easy peasy!
Lunch
- Bulk up your soup with spinach, broccoli, zucchini, or green beans.
- Load that pita pocket with cucumbers, tomatoes, and mixed greens.
- Quesadillas are a great place to tuck peppers, onions, spinach, and kale.
- Mac and Cheese LOVES cauliflower and broccoli.
- Ditch the bread and make lettuce wraps instead!
Snacks
- Smoothies! Grated carrots and leafy greens co-exist perfectly with fruity friends.
- Cucumber slices and carrot chips sub beautifully for crackers and chips. Dip away!
- Zucchini, carrots, and avocados make tasty veggie “fries.”
Dinner
- Goose your chili with chunks of sweet potato, carrots, or butternut squash.
- Pack your pasta sauce with mushrooms, onions, spinach, and zucchini.
- Pile your pizza with veggies, it’s the perfect vehicle for greens, mushrooms, and all things vegetable
- Add pureed pumpkin or cauliflower to anything creamy.
- Grate up zucchini or summer squash and hide it in any casserole for undetectable roughage.
- Zoodles and Voodles! Use a spiralizer on zucchini or squash, or try baked spaghetti squash.
Desserts
- Chocolate hides everything!
- Avocados hide out well in puddings.
- Cookie dough can handle a carrot or sweet potato puree.
Basically, chop, mince, and mash your veggies and add them to everything! Most vegetables are chameleon-like and will take on the dominant flavors around them. So cook them up in broths and sauces and use them to bulk up the size of your meals.
