Struggling to eat enough vegetables because you just don’t have time for all that washing, peeling and chopping? I have some solutions for you.
One thing that I hear most from my health coaching clients is that preparing meals with fresh vegetables takes too much time. All the washing, peeling and chopping just isn’t convenient.
I get it. On nights when I get home late after teaching a yoga class or meeting with a health coaching client the last thing I want to do is spend a lot of time cutting up vegetables then cooking a meal.
But vegetables are a must. Vegetables are full of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. When eaten consistently, vegetables improve your overall health by supporting your digestion, skeletal system and blood pressure, keeping your hair, skin and nails healthy, helping to manage your weight, and preventing disease.
Luckily, there are a few simple things we can do to eat more vegetables.
Buy Pre-Cut Vegetables
Pre-cut vegetables are definitely more expensive than buying whole vegetables. However, it’s more cost effective to buy pre-cut vegetables than buying whole vegetables that you end up throwing away because they went bad! Some of my favorites…
- Shredded Brussels Sprouts
- Riced Cauliflower
- Greens and Lettuce
- Green Cabbage or Coleslaw Mix
- Cubed Butternut Squash
Use Frozen Vegetables
Frozen vegetables are usually flash frozen after they’ve been picked, so the nutrient content is similar to fresh vegetables. Frozen vegetables can also be less expensive than fresh vegetables if you’re buying something that’s not in season.
Frozen vegetables are great for soups and stews, crockpot meals or stir fry. Some options…
- Frozen Mixed Vegetables
- Frozen Cauliflower
- Frozen Broccoli
- Frozen Organic Edamame
- Frozen Spinach
- Frozen Butternut Squash
- Frozen Peas
- Frozen Carrots
Drink Greens Daily
The vegetable that most of us aren’t eating enough of is greens. Leafy greens are full of phytonutrients, vitamin C, fiber and potassium, and they help us reduce our risk of diseases.
It becomes harder to eat fresh greens in the colder months because leafy greens are no longer in season, and store-bought greens tend to be more expensive and go bad faster.
I highly recommend drinking a greens drink every day to fill that gap. You don’t have to buy a juicer or spend $5 a bottle on a green juice every day. Using a greens powder is an easy way to drink your greens every day. Many of them do taste super grassy, so I recommend using Greens Blend. It has a subtle berry flavor from stevia, and it’s made with organic ingredients.
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