How to Eat More Vegetables: 8 Ways to Add Veggies to Meals

Eating more vegetables can be one of the keys to healthy living. Here are some reasons you might consider incorporating additional servings of vegetables into your regular diet:

1. 1. Veggies have nutrients and minerals. Common nutrients in vegetables include folate, potassium, vitamin C, protein, and vitamin K. Changing up the types and amounts of vegetables you eat will impact the nutrients you intake.
2. 2. Vegetables add flavor and color to meals. Adding a variety of vegetables to meals can make those meals more visually appealing and interesting to the palate. Mixing up what you’re eating can help you avoid falling into a food rut.
3. 3. Vegetables add heft to a low-carb diet. Some low-carb diets rely on a lot of protein, either animal-based or plant-based, and veggies. To prevent low-carb diet boredom, you can incorporate seasonal veggies cooked in various ways and flavored with different ingredients. Use frozen vegetables when they’re out of season to get even more variety. Growers pick frozen vegetables at the peak of freshness and flash-freeze them to retain their flavor, color, and nutrient levels.
4. 4. Vegetables are low-calorie and low-fat. Some vegetables, like starchy vegetables, have more calories than others, but in general, vegetables are a low-calorie food. Those on a low-calorie or low-fat diet for health or medical reasons might benefit from more vegetables in their diet. It’s worth noting that “healthy eating” is a relative term—some vegetables might be healthy for certain people and unhealthy for others. Consult your doctor or nutritionist when making significant changes to your diet.
5. 5. Vegetables are a quick and easy snack. You can satisfy the desire for crunchy or sweet foods with specific vegetables. For example, bell peppers, carrots, and broccoli florets have textures and flavors that might satisfy your cravings and help to keep you full until your next meal.

If you have access to plenty of vegetables, it’s possible to incorporate more of them into your meal plan. Here are several ways you can add more veggies at mealtimes:

1. 1. Add vegetables to a smoothie. A green smoothie packed with fruit and green vegetables like spinach and kale can be satisfying any time of the day. With smoothies, it’s key to balance out the sugar in fruit ingredients with vegetables so you don’t experience blood sugar spikes. Other vegetables that work well include cauliflower, beets, and zucchini.
2. 2. Incorporate veggies into hummus. You can dip vegetables into hummus or you can mix roasted red peppers, olives, collard greens, or butternut squash right into the dip itself. Other raw or steamed vegetables that complement hummus well include artichoke hearts or cauliflower florets.
3. 3. Include vegetables in egg dishes. For a Southwestern flavor profile, add peppers and onions to an omelet or scrambled eggs. Incorporate pepper jack cheese for creaminess and an extra kick of flavor. For loaded frittatas, try adding tomatoes, greens, mushrooms, and butternut squash. Serve the frittata with crispy baked potatoes or cabbage slaw.
4. 4. Load up soups and stews with veggies. Soups and stews are vessels for ingredients like proteins, carbohydrates, and vegetables. Build a stew dish with lentils or quinoa, shredded chicken or Italian sausage, and add peas, corn, potatoes, and butternut squash. Serve your stew with a fresh side salad tossed in a light salad dressing, like a balsamic vinaigrette.
5. 5. Make a stir-fry of vegetables. You can enjoy many veggies at once with a stir-fry. Use red peppers, green beans, cubed sweet potato, and any other vegetables in season at your grocery store or farmers’ market. Cook them on high heat and toss them with a flavorful sauce of sesame oil, soy sauce, lime juice, and honey. Stir-fries are an easy meal prep item that you can eat throughout the week.
6. 6. Puree vegetables into sauces. Consider making a sauce that’s veggie-forward in terms of flavor. On the other hand, there are plenty of vegetables with flavors that are so mild you won’t notice them at all when you add them to sauces. You can make pesto with a dark leafy green like arugula, spinach, chard, or kale in addition to basil. Alternatively, chop carrots or zucchini in a food processor and add them to tomato sauce, which you can then use as a marinara for lasagna, pizza, or zoodles (zucchini noodles).
7. 7. Replace carbs with veggies. Try swapping vegetables for carbs like bread or pasta. Instead of eating spaghetti, try spaghetti squash—a squash that shreds to look like thin pasta noodles. Another idea is to wrap your burgers or sandwiches in lettuce leaves instead of buns or bread, or sub lettuce wraps for tortillas when you make tacos. Use a hardy lettuce like romaine or chard.
8. 8. Substitute one vegetable for another. Mashed potatoes are a classic side dish, but if you want to expand your repertoire of veggies, try replacing them with other root vegetables, such as turnips or parsnips. Steamed and mashed turnips or parsnips have a similar texture to mashed potatoes and absorb seasonings and other flavors well.

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