Simple, Flavorful Ways to Incorporate Fruits and Vegetables into Your Diet

People who eat more vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases, as they provide vital nutrients for your body. Incorporating these nutrients into our diets can be easier said than done nowadays. You may be a person who thinks buying fresh produce is a waste because it always goes bad, or you may be someone who just doesn’t like the way raw fruits or vegetables taste.

Regardless of which opinions you hold, we have come up with some simple ways you can incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet for every meal of the day. Check out some of our ideas below and try them out!

Breakfast

• Fruit: Add fruit to your cereal, oatmeal, or yogurt
  • Pro tip: If you don’t like the texture, try mashing your fruit up and mixing it in. Now you get the flavor and nutrients without the texture!
• Avocados: Spread avocado on your toast instead of using butter
• Smoothies or smoothie bowls: Frozen fruit stays fresh longer, so adding smoothies or smoothie bowls into your diet is a win-win! You can also add Spinach or greens to your smoothie to sneak some vegetables in without noticing the flavor too much.

Snacks

• Tasty toppings: Try pairing raw fruit and vegetables with some of your favorite toppings to give them more flavor and get more excited about snacking on them. Salad dressings, other foods, and seasonings can add a whole lot of flavor to satisfy your taste buds.
  • Ideas and recommendations:
    • Tomatoes with “everything” seasoning
    • Carrots and hummus
    • Cucumbers and Ranch dressing
    • Apples with cheddar or Colby Jack cheese slices
    • Pears with white cheddar cheese
• Granola bars or protein bars: A great quick and easy snack to have on hand, especially if you’re someone who is constantly on-the-go. Just make sure you look at the ingredient list to ensure they’re full of nutritious foods.

There are several nutritious bars out there that include wholesome ingredients or even include fruit in the bar, but some granola bars aren’t that great for you when you dig further into the ingredients. If you can’t pronounce the top 3 ingredients, it’s probably a good idea to go with a different bar.

Lunch/ Dinner

• Grill or bake vegetables for side dishes: Some people like vegetables more when they’re cooked. A great way to get them well-seasoned is by chopping them up, putting them in a gallon-size bag with 1-2 tbsp of olive oil and seasonings/ toppings of your choice, and throwing them in the oven for the recommended amount of time (you can usually just search this online).
  • Pro tip: For most vegetables, you can tell they’re cooked when you can easily put a fork through them.
    • Ideas and recommendations:
      • Sweet potatoes with chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, and cumin
      • Cauliflower with hot sauce
      • Carrots with a honey glaze, salt, and pepper
      • Chickpeas roasted with any seasoning on them (Chili lime or everything seasoning is great!)

• Include vegetables in sauces: You can add vegetables to pretty much any sauce. From onions and bell peppers in your taco sauce to spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, and garlic in your pasta sauce, you can get creative with this one! Don’t be afraid to throw something new in the mix and see how it tastes.
• Dedicate at Least 1 Night Per Week to a Vegetable Based Dinner: This may seem like a challenge, but it can be a fun one to take on! Find ways to incorporate a vegetable where you would normally incorporate a bread or meat.
  • Ideas and recommendations:
    • Try out chickpea or lentil-based pasta instead of regular pasta for a night and make a veggie-based sauce with mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, and whatever else sounds good to you.
    • Have a ‘homemade pizza’ night where you get cauliflower or sweet potato crusts (yes, they have these in most grocery stores now), and add your own vegetable toppings like red onions, green olives, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and more!
    • Use roasted sweet potatoes and black beans instead of using chicken or ground turkey / beef for a taco bowl night. Sweet potatoes are packed with fiber and black beans are full of protein, which will fill you up just as much as meat would. Both vegetables make a great combination with rice, Pico de Gallo, corn, and avocado.

Getting Started

Now it’s time for you to start taste testing to see how you can add more fruits and vegetables into your diet. To ensure none of your produce goes bad, try planning ahead so you only get the fruits and vegetables you need for the week when you go to the grocery store. Adding more nutrients into your diet little by little can go a long way towards forming healthier eating habits for the future!

Always remember to talk to your doctor before making any significant changes to your diet. Your doctor will be able to give you the best advice based on your personal overall health. Need additional assistance with your diet? Use our Find A Doc tool to find an in-network nutritionist near you and schedule an appointment today. ACN’s care coordination team is part of your healthcare team and can help you set up an appointment as well. Contact our team by calling 602.406.7226 or emailing members@azcarenetwork.org.