Veggie Challenge!!

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How Many Servings of Veggies Do You Eat Per Day?

Only about one in every 10 Americans eats enough fruits and vegetables.

More and more studies are now telling us that 8 servings of veggies and fruit per day is the bare minimum for the lowest risk of chronic disease and the more the better!  Veggies are our best sources of many vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants so they benefit our health in so many of ways. Eating plenty of veggies is necessary for immune health, gut health, and helps prevent cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.

Challenge yourself for the next 30 days to eat at least two different veggies with every breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner. The point of this challenge is to displace something you would normally eat like crackers, chips or fries with a veggie. 

Hate veggies?  Well for starters, stop saying that you hate all veggies.  Instead, say you haven’t found a veggie that you LIKE yet.

Eat a small bite of a veggie with something you like:

• A bite of rice, zucchini and steak.
• Asparagus with salmon
• Broccoli crown with shrimp or chicken

 
Hide your veggies in a casserole.  When they are mixed in with food you like, it makes them easier to eat.  You can also chop them up really small before cooking.  Less noticeable that way. 

Here are some tips to work in more veggies to every meal. 

Breakfast

• Add spinach and frozen blueberries to your smoothie.  If you aren’t a veggie lover, start slow.  ¼ cup of spinach and few blueberries.  Work up to a cup or two of spinach and ½ cup of blueberries.  You will get in 2+ servings without even trying.
• Make an omelet with chopped bell peppers and another veggie mixed in.
• Try baking a batch of egg muffin cups with chopped veggies and you’ll have breakfast ready for the entire week. 
  

Lunch

• A salad is going to be your biggest bang for getting your veggies in.  But don’t load it with a ton of dressing!
  
• Soups that are packed with veggies and can easily be warmed up for quick meal.
  
• Cut up a variety of raw veggies and stored in your fridge.  Can be used to dip into hummus or guacamole.

Dinner

• Make a one-dish meal like a stir-fry where you can easily mix in a variety of fresh or frozen veggies.
• Eat two veggies sides instead of a starch like rice or noodles
• Invest in a zoodle maker to make zucchini noodles for pasta dishes.

Every time you cook or prepare a meal, there’s an opportunity waiting to add in   vegetables.  Every bite counts, so why not find ways to pack each bite with a little more power.