Looking to add more plant based foods to your diet but do not know where to start? With standard American dietary habits firmly entrenched in our society, it can be hard to incorporate healthier plant based alternatives into meals. Medical research has now made it clear that adding more vegetables, fruits, and legumes into your diet can result in better health for you and your family. This makes it even more important to turn the plant based alternatives into a new nutritional reality.
Focus on Fullness
A great way to feel full and not deprived is to add fiber and protein filled plant based foods into your meal plans. Using nuts as a snack or as an ingredient in a variety of meals is a great way to slip more fiber and protein into your diet. Nuts can be included in a variety of dishes including salad, stir fries, and baked goods. Snacking on fruit with a high water content such as an orange helps fill you up between meals while providing a great source of vitamin C.
Plan Ahead
Advance planning of meals, shopping so that you have the ingredients for recipes when you need them, and some proactive preparation will help you make healthy changes to your family’s eating habits. The weekend is a great time to make ahead some vegetable filled soup or stew to be savored throughout the following week. Even making the components of meals ahead of time can make a big difference when you are strapped for time on a weeknight. Try using an integrated meal plan and shopping list as a resource to keep details organized ahead of time.
Extend Your Meals
Starting your meal with a salad or soup puts the spotlight on nutritious vegetables and fruits by making them the first course. The fact that you are hungry at the beginning of a meal means that you will eat more of the first course soup or salad than you would if it was served with the rest of the meal. The fact that you are eating your meal in stages means that you will also feel fuller when it is time for the main course.
Go Beyond Meatless Mondays
Meatless Mondays are fine, but the emphasis is on what you are doing without. Instead of feeling deprived, flip the concept to pay attention to what plant based food or dish you are featuring that day. You could have Salad Saturdays, Soup Sundays, and even Fruit Filled Fridays.
Get the Kids Involved
Including your children in some of the meal and snack planning is a great way to teach healthy habits early in life and reinforce them through practice. Allowing them to pick one new vegetable or fruit to try each week encourages kids to develop a receptiveness to try new foods.
Look for Plants at the Market
Plant based foods can be found in more than just the produce section. Tofu is a great source of plant based protein that is relatively inexpensive compared to meat. Canned beans are a convenient alternative to the dry version and chopped frozen vegetables can also make meal preparation easier. Overall, plant based foods with short lists of ingredients are what to look for at the market. Companies such as hamptoncreek use plant based ingredients in their convenient and fairly priced food products.
Try Something New
When you are adding more vegetables, fruits, and legumes into your diet, it is the perfect time to try out some new cuisines as well. A whole world of flavors is out there waiting for you, and it is not unreasonable to try out one culinary tradition a week that is new to you. Indian and Thai cuisine are full of fresh flavors and unexpected ingredient combinations that taste great. You can even incorporate a new plant based focus for cuisines that are part of your regular meal routine. Instead of spaghetti carbonara, try making an Italian dish such as sautéed greens with cannellini beans which is full of protein and vitamins but leaves out the saturated fat.
Using these approaches to add more plant based foods into your diet can be fun and educational for the whole family. Planning is the key to turning intention into practice. Whether it is trying foods from another culture or making more informed decisions at the market, incorporating more fruits, vegetables, and legumes is more than a change in eating, it is a change in lifestyle.
