Vegetables don’t need a speech. They need proximity, convenience, and a little charm.
“Eat more vegetables” is advice that often arrives as a scold. Try a softer approach: make vegetables unavoidable. Put them where you already look, fold them into foods you already love, and make the easiest option also the greenest. Visibility and convenience do more than willpower ever will.
Morning
- Fold chopped spinach, kale, or leftover roasted veg into eggs or tofu scramble.
- Blend frozen cauliflower, zucchini, or butternut squash into smoothies for creaminess without strong flavor.
- Top toast with smashed peas, lemon, and mint; ricotta and tomatoes; or mushrooms cooked hard and fast.
- Add grated carrot or zucchini to oatmeal with cinnamon and walnuts for a carrot-cake vibe.
Midday
- Add a handful of slaw mix to sandwiches, wraps, and bowls. Slaw resists wilting and adds crunch.
- Stir roasted vegetables into ramen, canned soup, or leftover rice.
- Keep a “veg bowl” on the middle fridge shelf: cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, snap peas, radishes—prepped, visible, and ready.
- Build salads around something you crave: crisp lettuce plus warm roasted potatoes and a jammy egg; chopped salad with feta and olives; lentils with herbs and pickled onions.
Evening
- Double vegetables in any recipe. Extra onions, an entire head of cauliflower, or a heap of greens vanish into sauces and stews.
- Replace half the meat with chopped mushrooms in tacos, sloppy joes, or bolognese; the texture is uncanny.
- Serve sauces that celebrate veg: romesco (roasted peppers and almonds), salsa verde (herbs and capers), pesto (basil or kale). Sauce a grain-and-veg dinner like you mean it.
Snacks and sides
- Pair crunchy veg with dips like hummus, tzatziki, whipped feta, or bean spreads.
- Keep quick-pickled carrots, radishes, or onions on hand to brighten bowls and boards.
- Air-fry or roast chickpeas for a crisp, protein-rich snack that tops salads beautifully.
Flavor tricks for skeptics
If bitterness is the barrier, roast brassicas until their edges char, then finish with a swipe of honey and vinegar. If texture is the issue, shave vegetables thinly (fennel, carrots) or blend them into sauces and soups. If time is the problem, buy prepped produce and give yourself credit for the shortcut.
When vegetables are prepped, prominent, and pleasant, they stop being a box to check and start being what you reach for first.
