Vote for Veggies!

12 Dec Vote for Veggies!

Vote for Veggies!

The election polls may be closed, but showing your loyalty to one of the most nutritious and beneficial groups of foods has no time limit. Whether or not you’re in charge of meals in your household, we challenge you to campaign for vegetables to be included at every lunch and dinner. If this seems like a daunting task, then go ahead and set a timeframe goal, such as starting now through the end of 2018.

Hopefully you love veggies and can’t get enough of them, but if the thought of eating them on a regular basis scares you, remember these four tips from VeryWell Fit to shake things up and make veggies a front runner in your mind for meals and snacks:

·        Break old habits and try new varieties

·        Investigate new cooking methods

·        Disguise the taste with herbs and spices

·        Hide veggies in your favorite foods

It’s important to note that while fresh produce may be the first type that come to mind, flash freezing technology is awesome and often keeps veggies at their most ripe and nutritious state. So storing veggies in your freezer to include in your meal is a great and healthy idea. Canned (no salt added or at least rinsed) can also be handy for soups, chilis, sauces, and you name it.

Most notable is the fact that vegetables taste different based on their preparation method, so even when you think steamed beets aren’t for you, roast them, drizzle a little balsamic and give them another shot. Brussels sprouts, carrots, zucchinis, parsnips the list of vegetables that might need a second or third shot can be long, but keep trying and you might find yourself pleasantly surprised. Not to mention when you’re able to discover your palate’s favorite pairings of veggies with herbs and spices the lunch and dinner veggie campaign will be a cinch.

So here is one (diet) amendment we can all talk about and agree on – vote for vegetables with every lunch and dinner.p.s. here is a FREE eBook from Lily Nichols, one of my favorite dietitians, to help you in the kitchen because the title says it all: How to Make Vegetables Taste Good.

by Victoria Emmitt RD