Meal Plans for More Vegetables

Month 1: 1 Pound of Vegetables
Goal: Increase your daily intake of vegetables to 1 pound per day.

Strategies: 

• Replace pasta with spiralized vegetables like zucchini, carrots, daikon radish, sweet potatoes, and Kohlrabi.
• Replace chips with crispy raw vegetables.
• Replace lunch sandwiches with soups and/or salads
• Increase vegetables in dinner. Instead of just using onions and mushrooms, experiment with ingredients like bok choy, spinach, kale, broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, cauliflower, peas, etc..
• Replace rice and potatoes with cauliflower versions. (i.e. riced cauliflower, mashed cauliflower)
• Keep cut vegetables in your refrigerator at all times. If it’s quick and easy, you’re more likely to choose it.
• Replace snacks like potato chips with celery & peanut butter or cucumber & tzatziki.
• Make creamy soups by using blended cooked vegetables instead of a roux and cream.
• Drink green smoothies.

Equipment:

• Kitchen Gadgets that will assist your transition.
  • Spiralizer
  • High-powered blender like Vitamix, Ninja, Oster Versa, or Nutribullet
  • Mandolin slicer
  • Immersion blender
    

Suggestions for adding more vegetables to every meal

Day 1

Breakfast:

• Add a Green Giant Smoothie to your normal breakfast routine.
• Adds 5 ounces of vegetables per serving.

Snack:

• Add Celery with Peanut Butter as a snack before lunch.
• Adds 2 ounces of vegetables per serving.

Lunch:

• Add a cup of Chili to your normal lunch.’
• Adds 4 ounces of vegetables per serving.

Snack:

• Add a ½ cup of Loaded Guacamole with bell pepper slices.
• Adds 6 ounces of vegetables per serving.

Dinner:

• Add a side of Sautéed Green Beans to your normal dinner.
• This adds 10 ounces of vegetables per serving.

Day 2

 Breakfast:

• Add a Southwestern Omelet to your normal breakfast routine.
• Adds 6 ounces of vegetables per serving.

Snack:

• Add Tzatziki with cut vegetables as a snack before lunch.
• Adds 8 ounces of vegetables per serving.

Lunch:

• Add a cup of Tomato Soup to your normal lunch.
• Adds 12 ounces of vegetables per serving.

Snack:

• Add a ½ cup of Black Bean Salad as a snack before dinner.
• Adds 4 ounces of vegetables per serving.

Dinner:

• Add a side of Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms to your normal dinner.
• Adds 10 ounces of vegetables per serving.