Vegetables are an important part of any healthy diet as they are packed full of vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants. While most of us know it’s important to eat veggies, only 7% of Australians are actually meeting their recommended intake of vegetables each day1. So, here are some simple (and tasty!) ways you can add more veg to your day.
Breakfast
If you like to wake up to something sweet, try adding spinach, kale, or carrot to your morning smoothie for an extra veggie boost. Or if you prefer a savoury start to the day, add some sautéed mushroom, tomatoes and wilted spinach to some toast or eggs.
Lunch
Include yummy things like lettuce, tomato, sprouts and cucumber in your sandwiches and wraps to really fill them out. Also try to include lots of non-starchy vegetables and leafy greens as a side salad to bulk up your meal. If you have any leftover roast veggies from the night before, add that to your lunch too!
Dinner
Double the amount of veggies you add to your pasta sauce, stews, soups and casseroles. This is an easy way to boost your veggie intake, plus the extra veg will add lots of flavour too.
Experiment with different cooking techniques and flavouring methods to keep your veggies more exciting. Try roasting broccoli, cauliflower and pumpkin with garlic, rosemary and ground cumin to make them even more delicious. Or try using different salad dressings to keep your salads exciting.
And don’t forget the frozen veg! Keep a bag of frozen veg in the freezer to ensure you’ve always got plenty of vegetables on hand when you don’t have time to pop into the shops.
Snacks
Have veggie sticks cut up and ready to go as a quick snack option in between meals. Carrot, celery, cucumber and capsicum work well on their own or when paired with low fat dips like hummus or tzatziki.
The Jenny Craig meal plans have been designed to instil lifelong healthy eating habits for all those following the program and include plenty of tools to help you include more veggies into your day.
-by Laura Ford APD
1 https://ncci.canceraustralia.gov.au/prevention/diet/vegetable-consumption
