Sneaking Veggies into Your Diet

We all know picky eaters. Whether it’s your spouse, your children, or even you, picky eaters are out there. Even for those who like eating veggies, it can be a challenge to eat the recommended servings each day. Thankfully, there are ways to get vegetables into all types of meals with all kinds of sneaky methods. Use the list below to get into the kitchen and get creative with your health!

Muffins

Muffins are a great way to sneak some vegetables into a dish that’s disguised as a ‘treat’! These Carrot-Apple Muffins are simple and delicious, as are these Chocolate-Zucchini/Avocado Muffins.

Frittata

A super easy way to prep breakfast for the week is with a muffin tin! Whisk together 12 eggs, 1 cup of cheese of choice (optional), salt and pepper, then pour into lined muffin tins. Then you can saute pretty much any vegetable you want. Have leftover broccoli and mushrooms from dinner last night? Throw those in your egg mixture! Wilt some spinach, saute some onions or chop up some bell peppers! Then pop them in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Omelets

Much like a frittata, you can get any number of vegetables into an omelet or scrambled egg dish. Finely grated cauliflower or minced broccoli can both be ‘hidden’ very easily in egg dishes.

Smoothies

What better way to get a bunch of vegetables into your diet at one time than to drink them? A handful of spinach or kale blends well with any fruit smoothie. Cucumber and celery are great, too! Try the classic Green Monster by blending 1 cup of almond or soy milk, 1 frozen banana, 2 handfuls spinach or kale and 1 tablespoon of almond butter. You can also add honey, blueberries, strawberries or mango to sweeten it up if it tastes too much like ‘veggies’ to you.

Veggie Noodles

Use a spiralizer to make zucchini, squash, asparagus or cucumber noodles and skip the pasta altogether. Add more veggies to the sauce (like onions and mushrooms) for an extra dose of nutrients. Basic tomato sauce is great, but the more veggies added – the better! Try adding puréed carrots or winter squash, peppers, onions or greens. You can also make roasted spaghetti squash in the oven!

Soups

Making some soup? Add a can of puréed tomatoes, squash or potatoes. It will make for a thicker soup and sneak in some extra veggies at the same time. Soups are such a good and easy way to get veggies in!

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring or hard. Salads, soups, fresh herbs, and many other options are available to keep you and your family full and fueled up! The possibilities are endless!