Eat More Vegetables Without Even Trying!

Here’s Why and How You Can!

Vegetables— first, let’s talk about them. There may be days that go by when we haven’t eaten a single one, yet studies show that around 95% of us consume at least some form of vegetable each day. That sounds promising… until you consider that over 90% of American adults still don’t meet the recommended daily intake of vegetables for optimal health - and that’s including starchy and non-starchy vegetables.

Starchy vs. Non-Starchy Vegetables: What’s the Difference?

Understanding the difference between starchy and non-starchy vegetables is key to improving your diet.

• Starchy vegetables (like potatoes, corn, and peas) contain higher amounts of starches—a type of complex carbohydrate. These take a bit longer to digest than simple sugars, which helps slow the release of glucose into the bloodstream and ultimately provide fuel the body prefers to burn for activity and basic bodily function. However, consuming more starches than your body needs can result in excess sugars being stored away as fat, leading to weight gain.

• Non-starchy vegetables (such as leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, and bell peppers) are low in carbohydrates and mostly consist of fiber and water. They have minimal impact on blood sugar levels when digested and provide fiber for your gut use in different ways.

So what needs to be done?

According to the American Diabetes Association, the ideal plate – for lunch and dinner—should be made up of ½ non-starchy vegetables, ¼ starchy vegetables or another carbohydrate source, and ¼ protein. This balance supports steady energy and better cardiovascular, gut and overall health.

Why Prioritize Non-Starchy Vegetables?

Including more non-starchy vegetables in your diet has a range of health benefits:

• Improved blood sugar control

• Increased intake of Vitamin A, C & K, Calcium, Potassium & Folate

• Lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels

• Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke

• Better digestion and gut health

• Support for weight management

Non-starchy vegetables are naturally low in calories, so you can eat larger portions without consuming a lot of energy. This makes them a great choice for feeling full and satisfied while still eating light.

Bottom line: Adding more non-starchy vegetables to your meals is one of the simplest and most effective ways to boost your overall health and immunity. Whether you’re trying to manage your blood sugar, lose weight, or just feel better, your body will thank you.

Tips for Eating MORE on the daily:

1. Plan Ahead - Meal Prep (frozen, fresh and canned)

2. Meal plan with the proper portion of veggies in mind. When vegetables become the main items in your cart by the end of your grocery run, you're doing it right! Fresh, frozen and canned (with low/no added salt) are all great options to incorporate into your meal plans.

3. Omelets

4. If you're a fan of eggs for breakfast, omelets are a great way to incorporate a serving of vegetables. Adding items such mushroom, tomato, onions, and/or spinach definitely levels up the nutritional value you’ll get!

5. Blend it

6. Smoothies are a great way to add a serving of veggies to your diet. Along with your serving of fruits, seeds and/or protein powder if used, adding in kale of spinach can help you get more veggies in!

7. Stir Frys

8. Throwing some veggies on the pan with some seasoning or a light coating of tasty sauce can make your veggies that much more enjoyable to eat!

9. Lettuce Wraps

10. If you find chicken or beef burgers tend to be go-to in your diet, toss the buns and try a lettuce-wrap version. Just make sure to keep all the yummy pickles, tomatoes and lettuce in the middle too.

11. Get a veggie side and/or appetizer

12. When you are enjoying a meal at your favorite sit-in restaurant or steakhouse, switch things up and try their veggie appetizers,like fried zucchini or roasted brussel sprouts. For the main course, take a stab at a side of sauteed mushrooms, creamy spinach, roasted veggies or the classic side salad.

13. Soups, Stews & Sauces

14. Veggies in a soup, sauce or stew –not only do they taste great– but they are a great way to bulk up the veggie content in your meal without much effort.

15. Veggie Rice + Noddles

16. Replacing regular rice or pasta with cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles, makes it that much easier for you to eat a more “rice” or “pasta”-heavy dish without all the extra calories.

17. Cauliflower pizza crust

18. Pizza is already fun to eat! Why not make it more nutritious with a nice cauliflower crust instead?

19. Plant-based burger

20. Eating a veggie burger (made out of grated or minced beans, mushroom, onions and/or carrots, etc.) is another nice hack to up your veggie intake.

Hope these tips are helpful and inspire you eat more veggies today!