“Back to Basics” is a weekly series that focuses on preparedness and simple practical life skills to help inspire you on your natural living journey.
It seems everywhere you turn health and wellness experts are telling you to eat more fruits and vegetables. They’re full of nutrition (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, enzymes, etc.). People who eat more fruits and vegetables have been shown to live longer, healthier lives. Not to mention protecting their bodies and minds from just about every chronic disease out there. Eating more vegetables can help you maintain a healthy body weight, and even lose some fat (as long as you don’t bread and fry them, or cover them with cream sauce).
Adding more veggies and fruits into your family’s diet shouldn’t be a question of, “Should I eat more fruits and vegetables,” but “How can I actually incorporate them into my day?” I am all about creating simple and delicious ways to help my family and yours, eat more fruits and veggies.
My littles made me this salad for lunch one afternoon.
BACK TO BASICS
Here is where going back to basics always shines. Making healthier choices NEVER has to feel foreign or overwhelming. Start where you are. Make baby steps. And keep moving forward. If you’re not used to any fruits or veggies, try for just two per day. Build up from there. Treat it like a salad. You don’t want to overdo it and sling shot yourself to the bathroom. That would be counterproductive and only serve to hinder any progress of training your body to enjoy these naturally fabulous bounties. Don’t get overwhelmed thinking you need to overhaul your entire diet in one day. Remember that if you are like me, you want to focus on overall health and healing that is sustainable. Which means that it is going to take time because we are working from the inside out. We didn’t get off track or even sick over night, so give yourself some grace and make baby steps each day and before you know it, you will be back on track and feeling like a better version of you.
TRY ONE OF THESE SIMPLE IDEAS TO ADD MORE FRUITS AND VEGGIES TO YOUR DAY
#1- MAKE THEM TASTE MORE DELICIOUS WITH A MEAL
- Steam some frozen corn and add a touch of olive oil and your favorite herb or spice.
- Use veggies as your sandwich “bread” by making a lettuce wrap.
- Don’t be afraid to spice them up! Try sauteing them for 5-10 minutes with a drizzle of oil and flavor them with pepper, garlic, ginger or cumin.
I love using a variety of different fruits and veggies because not only does it look visually appealing, but a variety will give you a range of vitamins and minerals and not just one kind. That is key! Two words to remember, “nutrient-dense” and “biodiversity.” Just like when we grow a garden, you don’t want to just grow all of one type of vegetable. You want a variety. Well, that is true for our “Gut Garden” too. I will be sharing more about the importance of Gut Health support in future posts and offers. Feel free to SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss any updates or special offers.
#2- EAT THEM AS SNACKS
- Why not throw a banana, apple or a couple of clementines into your lunch bag?
- Ditch the chips and dip – Instead try some carrot, celery, broccoli, cucumber or cauliflower with a dip like hummus, guacamole, or even your favorite natural salad dressing?
- Love sweetened yogurt? Buy plain, and immerse it with fresh or frozen berries and a drizzle of raw organic local honey.
#3- SNEAK THEM INTO OTHER DISHES
OK, this one is my least favorite way to add these into our diet because it’s “sneaky,” but I’m all about health and sometimes, you have to do what you have to do, if you have picky eaters. (wink)
Some dishes are super-easy to enhance with a bit of strategically placed produce. What do you think of these ideas?
- Add ½ apple, a small handful of spinach or kale, or extra berries into your smoothie.
- Dice or shred up an extra bit of carrot, broccoli, zucchini or peppers into your soup.
- Love sandwiches? Why not add an extra slice of tomato, lettuce or cucumber to it?
- How about chicken, tuna, or salmon salad? Dice up a stalk of celery, carrots, and red onion and throw it in.
- Love to bake? How about substituting ¼ cup of the sugar for ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce?
- Used to having a small salad? Why not try a larger one and add some nuts and tasty dried herbs that also have health benefits like turmeric, oregano, garlic powder and drizzle with apple cider vinegar for a healthy alternative dressing?
- Making tomato sauce? Add in some extra mushrooms, peppers, celery, and onions. I also like to add some fresh or frozen from our garden, into the sauce just before serving. I love when our meals are full of color!
THE CHALLENGE
Take two of these suggestions and try them this week. Just add two more fruits and veggies to the number you’re at today. Two more and get your whole family involved. I have found that including our littles in the growing, picking, and preparing process has taught them that veggies and fruits are a healthy habit to have. Introducing green leafy veggies early on during development will help your little ones cultivate a healthy habit for reaching for whole foods that are good for them.Believe it or not, we don’t even have to “sneak” veggies in their meals. Our family has a fresh salad every day and more often than not, we have some littles that prefer it without dressing.
If you’re not an instant fan, try again. Research shows that sometimes it takes our taste buds several tries before actually beginning to like a new flavor. And some folks taste buds have been altered by excessive amounts of artificial sweeteners. Try these helpful tips for yourself and you may just find some new favorites that your family will love.
REFERENCES
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/dont-like-vegetables
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-fruits-vegetables
Disclaimer: The health and wellness posts shared here on GracefullyHome.com are not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any illness or disease. The information provided on this blog is for general educational purposes, has not been reviewed nor approved by the FDA and is not intended to take the place of advice from your medical professional, licensed dietician or nutritionist.
You are solely responsible for your health care and activity choices. Use of any of the recommendations or helpful tools and tips on the GracefullyHome.com blog does not constitute a client-coach relationship.
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