Cooking tips: How to eat more fruits & vegetables (even on weekends!)

Do you struggle with eating enough fruits and veggies on the weekend? We’ve all been there. It’s easy (and fun) to cook up healthy meals throughout the week—but once the weekend hits, you might get off-track. Luckily, we’ve got a few tips for eating deliciously healthy food throughout the weekend!⁠⁠

But first, here’s a quick refresher on why eating fruits and vegetables benefits your health.

There are so many benefits of eating fruits and vegetables, here are just a few of them:

• Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber and excellent sources of essential vitamins and minerals. 
• They also deliver antioxidants, complex carbohydrates, and disease-fighting phytos.
• Additionally, a diet rich in veggies and fruits can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer. 
• A recent study showed that increased veggie consumption correlated with better mental health. 

How to Eat More Fruits & Vegetables – 5 tips

1. Meal Prep

This step is crucial. When you have veggie-packed meals ready to go, it’ll be much easier to choose them over take-out or processed food options. Whether or not you’re making freezer-friendly meals or chopping up vegetables in advance – small steps will make it easier when it comes down to crunch time. 

Tip: Keep your fruits and vegetables visible in your fridge. When you see them easily accessible, you’ll be more likely to eat them. 

Want help with meal prep? If you’re a Swich member, consider adding Batch Cooking Fundamentals and Creating a Weekly Salad Bar to your Swichboard. 

2. Prioritize Eating Vegetables and Fruits for Breakfast

Start your day off with a veggie-packed and fruit-filled breakfast or brunch. According to Johns Hopkins, breakfast boosts brain-power, helps your heart, and improves metabolism. So make sure you’re not overlooking that first meal of the day! 

Here are some easy ways to squeeze in fruits & veggies in your breakfast:

• Add berries to oatmeal (try our Stovetop Oatmeal and Steel-Cut Oats recipes)
• Blend fruits and vegetables (spinach, kale, berries, etc) in your smoothies 
• Enjoy a mixed fruit salad
• Top your toast with avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, or fruit 
• Stir veggies into a breakfast burrito, taco, or scramble (get inspired by our Creamy Tofu Scramble and Potato, Pepper, & Corn Hash recipes) 

⁠3. Experiment with Veggie Snacks 

Explore good-for-you snacks like carrots and hummus, celery with peanut butter, roasted chickpeas, and kale chips. Consider challenging yourself to try a new veggie every week – you might find a new favorite!⁠⁠

Some of our top veggie snack recipes include:

• Cheezy Cashew Kale Chips
• Spiced Nuts 
• Roasted Beet & Garlic Hummus

4. Visit the Farmers’ Market⁠⁠

Spend a morning picking up produce at your local farmers’ market. You’ll not only be supporting your local community, but you’ll also feel inspired to whip up a healthy dish with local ingredients afterward.⁠⁠

⁠⁠5. Whip Up a Nutritious Dessert 

Satisfy your sweet tooth and squeeze in extra fruits with a wholesome dessert. Swich has many better-for-you dessert recipes. Our top pick is our Chocolate Cream Pie with raspberries.

 

Want to know more about how Swich can help you put more plants on your plate? Find out what makes us different from other cooking sites.