Vegetables are some of the healthiest foods we can eat. They are naturally anti-inflammatory, aid in weight management and support a strong, healthy gut. Yet, only 9% of Americans eat the recommended 2-3 cups of vegetables per day. So, today I’m going to lay out some simple, easy hacks to increase your veggie intake. 

1. Blend Them Up 

Throw your favorite veggies into a smoothie. Drinking your vegetables is one of the easiest ways to up your intake. Now, I am not talking about green juices (although those can be healthy in their own right). I am talking about taking your favorite vegetables, such as spinach, cucumbers, zucchini, cauliflower rice, or kale, and adding them to a smoothie with some fruit and healthy fats or protein. 

If you don’t love eating vegetables, aren’t in the mood for them or don’t have time to prep them, tossing them in a smoothie is a great way to get them into your daily intake. Oftentimes, you can barely taste them but are still getting all the benefits of eating them. 

Two of my favorite smoothie combinations are:

• berries + spinach + avocado
• mango + strawberry + cauliflower + cucumber + coconut water + collagen peptides 

2. Make Veggies Grab-n-Go Ready 

If you want to eat lots of vegetables, you need to make it easy to eat a lot of vegetables. There is a reason why most people reach for chips, crackers or bars when they’re hungry. These foods are convenient and what I like to call, “grab-n-go ready.” The trick with eating more veggies is making them just as convenient as convenience foods. 

I suggest preparing vegetables ahead of time (cleaning and chopping) and storing them at eye-level in your refrigerator. If you are short on time, buy pre-chopped vegetables. I promise you will eat so many more vegetables if you follow this simple tip. I personally notice a huge difference in the weeks I do this (I eat tons of veggies) compared to weeks that I don’t (sadly, most of my veggies go bad in the crisper drawer). 

3. Snack on Veggies 

Most people don’t think of vegetables when they think of snack food. But, eating vegetables as part of your snack is such an easy way to up your intake. Try:

• veggies and hummus
• kale chips
• dehydrated beets or carrots dipped in yogurt

4. Double the Portion

Whenever I follow a recipe, I almost always double the portion of vegetables called for in that recipe. This instantly doubles the amount of vegetables I will be eating as well. The recipe still tastes great and I am getting more nutrients, so it’s a win-win! 

5. Serve Vegetables with Every Meal

Serve vegetables with every meal, especially lunch and dinner. Ideally 50% of your plate should be vegetables. Here are some easy tips to incorporate veggies into lunch and dinner: 

• Always serve a side salad with your meals 
• Swap regular rice for cauliflower rice or do a half and half mixture (50% rice, 50% cauliflower rice)
• Use zucchini noodles in place of pasta 
• Roast your favorite veggies with dinner 
• You know those grab-n-go veggies I mentioned earlier? Those are also useful for incorporating into your meals. Just grab a handful of raw, pre-chopped veggies and enjoy alongside the rest of your food. 
• Buy pre-chopped veggies and roast them with your dinner 

Regardless of how you are eating more vegetables, the important thing is that you are upping your intake. The more veggies you eat, the better you will feel!