Vegetables
By Sarah Marshall, CPT
For people who say they don't have time for fruits and vegetables, here’s 10
tips requiring almost zero extra time or effort. Incorporating just a few of
them into your daily diet will help you meet your produce needs.
Adding Fresh Vegetable Tips
1. Heating canned soup in a microwave? Add to the bowl a cup of frozen peas,
string beans or carrot slices.
2. Keep single-serving cans of low-sodium tomato juice or vegetable-juice
cocktail in your desk at work, in the car, in your tote or briefcase. They count
as 1 instant serving.
3. Add more veggies than your casserole recipe calls for. You're already
investing time in slicing up something -- celery, onions, carrots, eggplant,
whatever. It takes just seconds more to slice twice as much.
4. Serving pasta sauce? Doctor it up with extra chunks of zucchini
, onions, mushrooms, or shredded carrots.
5. Order every pizza with lots of "double" vegetables. If you don't order
double, sometimes what you get is a token sprinkle.
6. Making chicken salad? Make it magnificent with chopped apples, grape halves,
pineapple cubes or diced mango. Think half chicken, half fruit.
7. Indulge your salsa cravings. Each half-cup counts as one serving (most are
tomato based).
8. Making macaroni and cheese? Cook a box of frozen mixed vegetables to add to
your recipe. If you're in a cafeteria, take small side dishes of mac and cheese,
steamed broccoli and carrot slices. Mix together for an instant casserole.
9. Grab an apple to munch in the car. They're perfect for dashboard dining--no
drips or crumbs.
10. No fresh fruit to pack for lunch? Keep single serving cans of fruit cocktail
on hand. Or open a can of tropical fruit cocktail and transfer some to a
single-serving container.