4 Easy Ways to Get More Fruits & Veggies

There never seems to be enough time in the day to get our recommended servings of fruits and veggies. We're too busy because we're constantly on the go all day or there's no time to prep all of these veggies when we're home looking after our young children etc., there are a million reasons or excuses as to why we're just not getting enough but there are some super simple ways to make sure we're adding in extra fruit and veg throughout the day.

SMOOTHIES

Smoothies are our secret weapons when it comes to fruit and  veggie intake. One smoothie can pack in 3 or more servings of fruit and vegetables in one glass so they're the perfect breakfast for anyone, busy or not. Along with fruits like banana, pineapple, and fresh berries, greens like spinach and kale are great in smoothies and amp up our fruit and veg intake. Plus, they're a great opportunity to add in additional nutrition from ingredients like freeze dried fruit powders and seeds like hemp, chia, and flax.
A standard smoothie looks something like this for me;

• 1 Banana
• 1 Cup Spinach
• 1 Cup Mixed Frozen Berries
• Tbsp. Hemp Seeds
• Tsp. Camu Camu Berry Powder
• Additional Flavours like Lemon / Ginger
• Plant Milk

This smoothie will pack in 3 servings of fruit and veggies and a whole whack of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. We all have a spare 5 minutes to whip up a smoothie in the morning, especially when it packs in so many benefits!

PLAN AHEAD

It sounds taboo right, planning ahead will make everything better blah blah blah! Although it sounds so incredibly simple, it truly is when it comes to setting ourselves up for success. Something I like to do when I get home from doing groceries is analyze what veggies I know I'll be using as snack veggies and getting them prepped and packaged right away. This means, veggies like;

• Cucumbers
• Carrots
• Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Cauliflower
• Green Beans
• Snap Peas
• Broccoli

Having these veggies sliced up in the fridge and ready to go for snacking makes it easier when I'm busy to make sure I'm grabbing veggies as opposed to other snacks or even nothing. Planning ahead will help us make better choices when we're looking for snacks and will also help to bolster our veggie intake throughout the day.

KEEP SALAD HANDY

Every plate of food we eat should be 50% fruits and vegetables. An easy way to make sure that this occurs is to have a basic, fresh salad in the fridge ready to go at all times. Having that fresh salad in the fridge ensures that it becomes your side option to whatever delicious main course you've whipped up.
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I usually keep a salad in the fridge full of various lettuces and greens, carrots, red cabbage, tomatoes and cucumbers, ready to go at all times. With this base salad, you can add additional ingredients based on the day or what you're making, or you can enjoy it as is with your fav vinaigrette. Just taking the extra 10 minutes every couple days to whip up and refrigerate a fresh salad in advance means there is no excuse at dinner time to not have a big serving of fresh veggies. 

THE ALWAYS ROOM FOR ONE MORE RULE

One rule I always try to stick by when it comes to meal time is that there is always room for one more veg in whatever I'm eating. Quite literally, any meal that you could possible whip up has room for one more vegetable. 

• Having salad? Salad takes kindly to any veggies you have on hand so shred a carrot, slice some celery or cukes, add in an additional green to your base lettuce like spinach or kale. There's totally room for one more!
• Making Pasta? A delicious tomato sauce is a wonderful way to hide extra veggies that go unnoticed to the kiddies but will add in that extra serving. Greens in particular are super easy to blend into a sauce. Grab a couple cups of fresh spinach and add them in right before you blend your sauce for 2 - 4 more servings of veggies in that batch of delicious sauce!

​Just keep this rule in mind and you'll always find a way to incorporate an additional veggie onto your plate every time you sit down to eat!

These are just a few of the ways that I try to get more fruits and veggies into my every day routine. What tips and tricks do you use at home?

HAPPY VEG