Incorporating More Plants Into Mealtimes: What You Should Know



If you want to make sure you’re getting as many vitamins and nutrients as possible, see if you can use the advice here to incorporate more plants into your meal times. Making an effort every day will ensure you get the vitamins you need, as well as more variety and energy. It doesn’t have to be difficult or boring - read on to learn more! 

  1. Use Zucchini ‘Pasta’ 
This isn't pasta, and you shouldn’t pretend it is. If you really want pasta, then eat actual pasta! However, vegetables like Zucchini can easily be cut into pasta shapes or bought in a ready made style that allows you to thicken up dishes and add those nutrients. You could even do 50% pasta and 50% vegetables, or you could simply replace your regular pasta with zucchini every so often. 

  1. Use Meat Substitutes
Meat substitutes aren't always plant based, but many of them are. Instead of having meat every meal of the day, see if you can replace it with veggie substitutes a few times a week. These substitutes have the benefit of being faster and easier to cook, with little chance of food poisoning. They’re better for the environment, too! 

  1. Aim For Variety 
Variety is the spice of life. See if you can find recipes that you can do yourself to make your veg more interesting, such as mediterranean artichoke recipes. Don’t just buy boring salad, or you won’t stick to your new way of eating. 



  1. Grate Veg Into Your Favourite Dishes
If you want to add veg without having big lumps to chew, see if you can grate veg into your favorite dishes, such as pasta. This is a great trick for your kids, too, as they often won’t realise that a meal has veg in it until they have eaten it. 

  1. Spread It Out Over The Day
Make small changes by spreading out your veg intake over the course of the day. Have a small amount with breakfast, lunch, and dinner and then see if you can find veg based snacks. 

  1. Find Veggie Snacks That You Enjoy 
It’s too easy to snack on crisps and chocolate, but veggie snacks can be satisfying too. Why not try crisps made from veg, or hummus and carrot sticks? These snacks can be very satisfying and they will often mean reducing your calorie intake from snacks. This can be great if you often feel yourself mindlessly eating in front of the TV. 

  1. Get Creative With Preparation
Get creative with how you incorporate plant based foods. For example, you could blend up 1 regular banana and 1 frozen banana to create a delicious banana ice cream with just 1 ingredient. It’s a lot nicer than it sounds - and it’s better than eating a plain banana! Try it and see for yourself. Playing with the way you cook and prepare the veg you eat will make a huge difference to your enjoyment. 

How will you incorporate more plants into mealtimes? Leave a comment below!

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