A lot of us have been there. We make our New Year's Resolution to eat more vegetables only to leave ourselves with a lot of last minute tosses of baby carrots into our lunch sacks. There's nothing wrong with these baby carrots, but for many of us, it turns our goal of eating more vegetables into a chore rather than a fun exploration of all that vegetables can be.
While adding any kind of vegetable to our diet is great, raw vegetables are the easiest to incorporate because there is no cook time with them. Some meals are more tasty and fun with cooked vegetables. For easy ideas on what to do with frozen produce, check out my guide on how to use frozen produce.
Here's the five ways that I make my raw veg more enjoyable:
1. Cut them into smaller or thinner pieces
One of the biggest things that has helped the kids at our school buy more of our raw broccoli was when we started breaking the broccoli into smaller florets. While buying broccoli isn't the same as eating it (I have no data on that part), making our food seem more manageable is a key step to actually eating it, even if it is only a bite.
Let's be honest though, smaller broccoli florets also mean a better ranch to broccoli ratio.
2. Add a sauce or dip
Speaking of ranch, adding a dip or dressing is a great way to make vegetables more enjoyable. But it's not just ranch. There's loads of other options! Some of my favorites are
- Tahini Sauce
- Peanut Sauce
- Hummus
Nutritionally speaking, adding a dip with a considerable amount of fat actually helps with the absorption of some nutrients of the vegetables. Some of the vitamins found in vegetables need some fat in order to properly break down in our bodies. They are called fat-soluble vitamins and include vitamins A, D, E, and K.
3. Add a savory "fun dip"
The day I tried Sohla El-Waylly's recipe for Ranch Fun Dip, my life changed. I first came across this idea in a Food52 video featuring her and this recipe.
This is a great recipe to make ahead for the rest of the week (or maybe even a month, if it lasts that long). What I love about this recipe (and her recipes in general) is that they are ideas that you can use as a springboard for your own variations. Make a few of your own variations to mix and match throughout the weeks.
I can also see this as a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen and maybe sneak in a few extra veggies for them, too.
4. Try new vegetables
Make eating vegetables an adventure! For some of us, variety is the spice of life. Maybe you can make it a goal to try a new vegetable every other week or once a month.
Go on a tour of your farmer's market or specialty grocery store to check out new varieties of produce! I also love doing this because you can ask the farmers or shopkeepers how they would prepare these foods, giving you some yummy ideas.
5. Cook them first
I have a confession: I don't like raw carrots, but I love the idea of eating them as a quick and easy snack. I honestly cannot remember which YouTuber showed this, but for their baby that was learning to eat vegetables, they would microwave and refrigerate the carrots for a softer texture. I thought I would try it for myself. It was great! The carrots has a softer texture and a sweeter taste.
I know this defeats the purpose of eating raw vegetables, but in the interest of keeping things simple, it definitely works.
Eating raw vegetables doesn't have to be mundane. If anything, it can be an exciting window into the world of possibilities of fresh produce.
Let me know in the comments what your favorite raw vegetable and dip combination is!
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