10 Strategies to Make More Simple Yet Flavorful Vegetarian Meals and Snacks

Dietitians and health experts take every opportunity to remind us that we need to be eating plenty of fruits and vegetable to support a healthy lifestyle. However, finding ways to introduce more vegetables and fruits into your meal plan can be difficult.

Meanwhile, we often miss out on the many beneficial vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that we need on a daily basis from fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables also have fiber and help keep us feeling satisfied and full. All of these benefits support a healthy metabolism and keep you feeling invigorated.

Here are 10 ways to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your meals and snacks:

1. Start your shopping in the produce section of the grocery store. This helps you make veggies and fruits a priority in your eating plan.
2. Moreover, start by ensuring your shopping cart is at least 25% fruits and/or vegetables. Then challenge yourself to add more each trip to the store until 50% of your shopping cart is fruits and/or veggies. This helps your house stay well stocked and keeps you surrounded by these foods when you reach for a snack or prepare a meal.
3. Shop according to color! You can search for new fruits or vegetables according to the colors that you are missing in your basket. With so many different colors in the produce section like gold, orange, red and green, try to fill your shopping cart with a vibrant variety.
4. Make an activity out of shopping for your produce by visiting a local farm or a farmer's market.
5. Purchase a new-to-you fruit or vegetable each week and find a fun way to integrate it into your meals or by finding a new recipe.
6. Breakfast is traditionally a meal that contains a lot of protein and/or grains and few veggies. Set a goal to add veggies to your breakfast at least once this coming week. After a few weeks, set a new goal of adding veggies to two breakfasts each week.
7. Have at least one snack each day made of vegetables or a whole piece of fruit, and take note of how you feel later in the day. Depending on your normal snack habits, you'll likely find that you feel more energized.
8. Add different textures and colors to your salads to make them more interesting. Try incorporating nuts, seeds, roasted veggies or a small quantity of strongly flavored cheese such as pecorino, blue or Parmesan to add flavor.
9. Always keep frozen fruits and vegetables on hand. You can easily add these to smoothies, soups and stews.
10. Dress up your frozen entrees such as pizza with lots of veggies or have a whole piece of fruit on the side for a little something sweet and added fiber.

Just like making any change to your lifestyle, adding vegetables and fruits to your meals and snacks can be challenging, but the nutritional benefits of regularly eating these foods are worth it. If you continue to have difficulty making changes to your eating habits, see our six tips for starting and sticking to a healthy lifestyle.

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