Vegetables are a key part of maintaining a healthy diet. They’re rich in essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals and they provide your body with fibre. But if you’re not a fan of veggies, this can be hard to keep up.
If you struggle to include vegetables in your diet, whether it’s because you don’t like the taste or you just don’t have time, here are five hacks you can use to sneak them into your meals:
1) Hide vegetables in smoothies
Smoothies are a great way to sneak veggies into your diet. Not only does it help mask the taste, but with ingredients like bananas and berries, it’s sweet enough for anyone to enjoy.
2) Include vegetables as part of a sauce or soup
If you love pasta or pizza sauce, why not make it yourself? This will allow you to add as many veggies as you want without affecting the flavour. The same goes for soups — make sure to add plenty of onions and celery to your recipe and experiment with different flavours.
3) Make zucchini noodles instead of pasta.
Zucchini is low in calories, high in water content and full of dietary fiber — which may help lower cholesterol levels, control blood sugar and aid digestion — so it’s definitely one vegetable you should be eating more often. Use a spiralizer to make zucchini noodles and add them to your favorite pasta dishes for extra nutrients that won’t make you feel stuffed afterward.
4) Make them smaller (and more bite-sized). Shredded carrots go well in salads and sandwiches, as do small chunks of broccoli or cauliflower. Grated vegetables can also be added to meatloaf or meatballs for additional flavor and texture.
5) Make them sweeter with fruit juices or flavored yogurts. Sautéing vegetables in pineapple juice can make them sweeter and more appealing, as does adding yogurt dips or sauces to fruits or vegetables (just watch out for added sugars!).
