By contributing writer, Alexandra Maul

Hey, friends! Instead of a recipe this month, I thought I’d share some tips that I use to sneak in more fruit and veggie servings each day.

Although I’m a big fan of getting back to basics eating-wise at any time of the year, January is a great time for new habits. We all seem to have “fresh new start” on the brain. Maybe it’s all the cookies we ate over the holidays, or the ubiquitous messages of detox, cleanse, and “new year, new you”…

Whatever it is, if your body is craving a reset, go for it! Take advantage of this motivation and hop to it.

Or, maybe you feel like you could use some more nutrients in your diet, you’ve been feeling off, or you’re trying to boost your immune system this winter. Terrific!

I’m a big believer in crowding out the bad stuff by filling up with the good stuff! If you’re focusing on filling your meals with colorful fruits and veggies, you’ll naturally “crowd-out” the junk.

So whether you’re still trying to keep your healthy eating new year’s resolutions or just wanting to increase the amount of produce you’re eating, try these tips to incorporate more of the good stuff into your diet everyday. These are perfect for those with little ones, those with pregnancy food aversions, or anyone trying to increase their fruit and veggie intake.

And, if you’re not one who is naturally-inclined to reach for produce, try pairing it with a healthy fat. Combine fruit and nuts, veggies and avocado, eggs and greens, etc. to make it more satisfying.

10 Tips for Sneaking More Fruits and Veggies into Your Day

1. Begin your day with fruits and/or veggies — get ’em in early to start yourself on the right foot!

Add berries, bananas, or diced apples to your yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes or breakfast of choice – try a Breakfast Berry Powerbowl
Mix chopped veggies into your omelet or frittata – the more colorful, the better
Blend some spinach into your waffle or pancake mix – it will turn them slightly green, but it’s very mild, I’ve even gotten my husband to ask for these
Make pumpkin or sweet potato pancakes or add squash to your mug cakes
Add a side of sauteed greens to your eggs
Throw some peppers, mushrooms, or other veggies into your potato hash
Warm up a creamy squash porridge and top it with warmed sliced pear and maple syrup
Enjoy a homemade green smoothie or juice
- This is one of my favorite ways to increase my servings of fruits and veggies and is perfect for kids! Try one of these smoothies. Need some tips? Take a look at this Smoothie How-To Guide.

2. Need a snack? Try pairing cut-up raw veggies with your favorite dips – try hummus, guacamole, baba ghannoush, or fresh salsa – for a nutrient-dense, and flavorful, nosh.

Dip apple slices in nut or seed butters, pair hard-boiled eggs with avocado and a sprinkle of pink salt, or enjoy some No-Bake Pumpkin Spice Energy Bars.

Want some real crunch? Try kale chips, apple chips, plantain chips, or sweet potato chips – bonus if you roast your own!

3. Soups and stews are an easy way to up your veggies…

Chopped mushrooms, peppers, and eggplant go perfectly in a thick chili
Veggie soups are obviously full of the good stuff
Throw chopped kale or chard into soups during the last 20 – 30 minutes of cooking for some tender greens
Top your soups with cubed avocado or fresh chopped herbs

4. Use vegetables as your buns — my favorite burger bun is roasted eggplant, it’s delicious! Also try using roasted, sliced sweet potato or portobello mushroom. And, butter lettuce makes the perfect crunchy bun or taco shell.

5. Don’t hold back on the veggie toppings. Taco night? How about adding extra lettuce, cilantro, avocado, guacamole, and fresh salsa! And pile on those veggie pizza toppings.

While you’re at it, how about trying a cauliflower crust pizza? Or, try mashed cauliflower or cauliflower tortillas to up the veggies in your meal.

6. Zoodles (zucchini noodles) or your spiralized noodle of choice. Or try replacing angel-hair pasta with roasted spaghetti squash.

7. Take advantage of your take-out leftovers. I love to throw spinach into my leftovers when I reheat them… it goes perfectly in dahl, pasta dishes, or soups. Or add veggies to leftover sandwiches or pizza to brighten up the second-day meal. I also love to throw leftovers into ‘powerbowls’ — add them to a base of your favorite greens, add your dressing of choice, add some crunch (nuts/seeds, kale chip crumbs, or chopped fruit/veggie) and voila!

8. Dessert… some love enjoying a sweet orange for dessert, but if that’s not your thing, how about a homemade sorbet? Or try mixing fruit and veggies into your treats. For instance, try zucchini brownies, or chocolate mousse made out of pumpkin, avocado, or sweet potato.

9. Make preparing and eating your produce easy! Once you’ve bought (or grown) the produce you need, wash, cut and prep them so they’re ready to be eaten anytime. That way you can literally grab them out of the fridge and make whatever you feel like it.

10. Go organic when possible. If you can’t afford to or don’t want to buy all organic, I find the Dirty Dozen list super helpful. It contains the fruits and veggies with the highest amount of pesticides, so you can prioritize buying those organic.