Easy Ways to Add More Veggies to Your Diet

The Food Pyramid tells us that we are supposed to eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies every day but so many Americans do not get nearly enough. So, how can you get more. There are some easy ways to add veggies to every meal of the day.

Breakfast tends to be the trickiest because we do not tend to think of vegetables as breakfast foods. In other countries, however, they eat vegetables for breakfast and it is a normal, every day thing to do. There are ways to add veggies to breakfast, however. Here are some ideas:
1. You can add veggies to eggs. For example, a spinach and cheese omelet is very tasty or if you prefer broccoli, a broccoli and cheese omelet is also good.
2. You can make wraps for breakfast. Using a tortilla, you can add peppers, onions, carrots, and any other vegetables you choose along with some cheese and scrambled eggs and roll it up and it is delicious.
3. You could eat like the Japanese and have rice and vegetables for breakfast.

Snacking on veggies is a good way to keep snacks low in calories and fat. It is also a good way to get an extra serving of veggies!
1. There is the old standby of eating carrots or celery sticks with some dip.
2. Soup is actually a very good snack. A nice vegetable soup is warm and filling and keep your stomach satisfied until it is time for the next meal.
3. You can puree and add vegetables to a number of baked goods. Muffins, cookies, and brownies are all good choices. You can add carrots, squash, or cauliflower to muffins and cookies. Spinach is actually very well hidden in brownies. Just puree in a blender and add as a substitute for oil in muffins and brownies and as part of the wet ingredients in cookies. No one will ever know if you don't tell them!!!
4. Peanut butter or cream cheese are also great "dips" for vegetables. You can use any raw vegetables and spread these spreads on them for a delicious treat!

Lunch and dinner meals seem much easier but here are a few ideas:
1. Add lettuce and tomato to all sandwiches.
2. Have a side salad with your meal. Eat it first to help you fill up before you eat more fattening foods
3. Again, soup is also a good filler before a meal. Good vegetables soups are filling and nutritious. Make your own and avoid the added sodium of canned soups.
4. Puree vegetables and add to many dishes. For example, you can puree almost any vegetable and add it to meatloaf or casseroles such as tuna or turkey noodle. You can add pureed carrots to spaghetti sauce or macaroni and cheese.
5. Serve mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes. Prepare cauliflower in a food processor and add a little butter and seasoning and serve instead of mashed potatoes.
6. Avoid the prepackaged vegetables in cheese sauce. Instead, buy fresh or plain frozen vegetables and add your own low fat cheeses. You can control the amount of cheese and thus the fat content and still get a great taste.
7. Serve raw vegetables and dip instead of chips with a sandwich.
8. Add veggies to tuna fish or chicken salad. Dice the veggies such as carrots, celery, peppers, or whatever you enjoy and mix into the salad with a small amount of mayonnaise

I hope you can use some of the above tips. Be creative and you will find ways to add more veggies to your diet. It is a great way to fill up with less calories.