Our Tips: How to Eat More Vegetables
I think eating vegetables is something that’s really hard for a lot of people, myself included. Over the last few months I’ve tried figuring out how to change that, why it was happening, and how to make myself actually follow through on my goal of eating more on vegetables.
Since then, I’ve found myself feeling so good just by eating a little better every day. It’s not so much about trying to lose weight or anything, it just makes me feel like I have better concentration & focus, I get less headaches and stomachaches, and that I have more energy overall. Here are a few tips that I’ve found helped me a lot in increasing the number of vegetables I’m eating now.
Okay, that title sounds ridiculous, but this is all about mindset. When thinking up what to make for dinner, first figure out what vegetable(s) you’re in the mood for. Then bring in the spices & herbs, then lastly hearty elements like starches, grains or pasta. Instead of making vegetables an afterthought, make it the main focus. For example, rather than say “I want pasta tonight” I can say “I want seared asparagus & broccoli, and I can put peas & lots of garlic with that. Then I’ll make a quick sauce and toss it all with some pasta.” By focusing first on vegetables, you’ll end up eating more.
If you’ve never tried or liked beets, romanesco, bok choy, or kale, don’t feel guilty by skipping over it at the grocery store. Start with celery, carrots, cucumber, and spinach if you’re more comfortable with it. By over-stretching our comfort zones, sometimes it causes us to not want to deal with it at all, which leads to ordering out and buying junk food for every meal. When you’re ready for it, move forward, but until then, learn to make the most of the basics.
It doesn’t have to be fresh!
Frozen vegetables are just as good as fresh, in almost all cases, and especially in the winter. The best part is that they last longer than fresh, so you can always keep some around. And when they’re around, they’re much more likely to be eaten. Don’t go for “the best quality organic fresh vegetables” standard of “perfection.” Start where you are, make the best of what’s available.
Instead of eating salads for every meal, I’ve found that a better way to create lasting change is to build up to it. Start with just adding a little veg into your usual meals - then increase the amount of veg on your plate a little more each day. This was essential for me to drink green smoothies, for example - at first an all-greens-smoothie was gross, but by altering the ratio of fruit and vegetable each day, now most of my smoothies are vegetables, with just a small amount of sweetener. (Still working on it!)
I used to make salads without doing much prep work, so all the pieces were huge and hard to eat. This made me hate salads, especially tougher greens. But now, I’ve learned to love chopped salads. I break down all the vegetables into small bits, including the greens, and it makes it so much easier (and tastier!) to eat. The way you prepare & incorporate ingredients makes such a huge difference. If you hate or just aren’t interested in something, break it down. I used to hate mushrooms - so I chopped them down and put them in stews, soups, and in burgers. As time went on, I grew to love mushrooms and now can eat them in mass amounts.
Try a different preparation
By trying different cooking techniques, vegetables totally transform themselves in terms of taste and texture. Thin-slicing or roasting tomatoes tastes so much better to me than cold, watery refrigerated chunks of tomato that a lot of restaurants serve. Going back to mushrooms, for example, I still don’t really like raw mushrooms. I didn’t really like them steamed, either, for a long time. But I love them pan-seared or roasted, which sparked my love for them. Some vegetables work better with certain techniques, so don’t banish any veg from your house after one bad experience.
Create positive experiences, let go of bad ones
When talking about experiences, mindset and environment have a lot to do with how we feel about food, whether it’s a certain ingredient, a style of cooking, or a certain preparation. I can’t tell you how many bad iceberg salads I’ve had throughout my life, or how many overcooked, soggy, flavorless vegetable sides. But that doesn’t mean those ingredients are inherently bad. Try to create positive correlations with cooking and exploring different kinds of food - cook with friends, put on your favorite music, eat outside on a beautiful day. Most importantly, don’t get hung up on trying to create a “perfect” meal. Especially at the beginning, its easy to get discouraged - just go slow and be kind to yourself. In the end, you’ll find that cooking with plenty of vegetables is rewarding and really tasty.
So, what do you think your hangups are around certain foods, but especially vegetables? Any additional tips for eating more veg? Let us know in the comments!
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