The new year is just over a month away and many of us are already turning our minds to what new year’s resolutions we’re going to set. For many of us, these changes will revolve our diet and healthy eating. But why wait when you can get started - or at least start preparing - now?
There are, of course, countless ways to improve your diet. You can start eating within your recommended calorie count. You can cut out junk food. You can make sure that your meals are healthy and balanced. But one area you might want to focus on for now - to get this journey started in the right direction - is to make sure that you’re eating five a day. Here are some tips to help you on this journey!
Choose Fruit and Vegetables You Actually Like
A mistake that people often make when trying to incorporate more fruit and vegetables into their diet is choosing any old fruit or vegetable - often ones that they don’t actually like. There are so many different types of fruit and veg out there that you don’t have to settle on ones that you don’t find enjoyable. Instead, try a few different options and settle on the ones that you can actually look forward to.
Learn How to Prepare and Cook Your Vegetables Properly
Often, people think that they don’t like certain vegetables, when actually, they’re just not cooking them correctly. Vegetables that are prepared or cooked incorrectly can quickly become bland or wilted and soggy. Instead, make sure to follow tutorials and recipes like this easy mashed sweet potatoes recipe.
Incorporate Fruit and Vegetables Into Snacks
You don’t have to stick to having fruit and vegetables as part of your meals. Instead, why not incorporate them into snacks? There are plenty of healthy snacks that can replace less healthy options like crisps, chocolate or cake. Consider apple slices with peanut butter dip, carrots with hummus dip and more.
Consider Smoothies
Smoothies offer an extremely fast and convenient way to pack multiple portions of fruit and veg into your diet. Think about it - if you add three different types of fruit or vegetables into a morning smoothie, you’re already half way to your five a day by breakfast time. You can choose a range of smoothies to keep things interesting. If you invest in a good quality blender, you can also use frozen fruits, which reduces the cost significantly. You could opt for something fruity or a green smoothie, which can incorporate vegetables such as kale, cucumber, avocado and other greens too. Where possible, try to use plant based milk as a healthier alternative. You can also incorporate powders such as spirulina powder, mushroom powder or other powders for an extra nutrient boost.
These are just a few starter steps to get the ball rolling in the right direction, but hopefully each will help you to start incorporating your five a day into your diet every day. You’ll feel the benefits before you know it!
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