Tips for Adding More Produce to Your Lifestyle
By Randi Morse
Whenever the new year rolls around I always set a few different goals for myself. Some of those goals are pretty fantastic and can't be achieved in one year (but are something I work toward), while others are goals that are more realistic. Last year I challenged myself to drink less soda and eat more healthy, and I achieved that! This year my biggest challenge, aside from making my bed every day, is to integrate more produce into our family lifestyle. Fortunately, there are a number of tricks I can use to help boost the amount of fruits and veggies we're eating daily.
Counter top - One of the first changes I'm implementing is to put my veggies and produce on the counter, especially those that are snacks. I can't tell you how many times I've found rotten fruits or veggies that have expired due to neglect simply from being in the bottom of my fridge. A lot of fruits don't need to be refrigerated. Apples and oranges, for example, are perfectly fine sitting on a counter. Just make sure no direct sunlight is on them as it can speed the ripening process.
Unique salads - I'm a fairly picky eater, and I don't care for what most people enjoy in a salad: lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and similar veggies. I do, however, like vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, peas, and corn. When I told my dietitian that I couldn't eat salads because I didn't like them, he informed me that a salad can be made of pretty much anything that is healthy. Don't feel that you have to conform to what society considers a salad to be. If there are veggies and proteins that you like, make a salad out of them!
Meatless meals - Once a week I'm going to institute meatless meals. These are dinners during which I serve absolutely no meat. I know it can be a challenge, trying to make dinners that are different than those you normally make, but that's what makes it exciting. How many meatless meals can you come up with? The internet is full of websites, like Pinterest and AllRecipes.com, that are loaded with different recipe ideas. And if you don't like a specific ingredient in the recipe? Omit it! Most recipes are fine if you omit one or two items, especially if you can find a substitute. I don't care for onions, for example, so I often substitute onion powder instead, giving me the flavor without the texture that I don't like.
Changing your diet can be difficult, but there are tons of ways to add more produce into your lifestyle without feeling as though you're missing out.
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