How to Sneak Veggies into Your Family Meals in Thanet

Cast your mind back to the New Year... Did you promise yourself that this was the year you were going to start taking care of yourself? Get more exercise, go for walks, eat better? Did you promptly forget these promises and reach for the biscuit tin? Well, now's your chance to get back into it.

Healthy Eating Week runs from 12 to 16 June and is all about getting some goodness into your body and improving your lifestyle.

Even if your intentions are good, we all know that getting a balanced diet can be difficult – it can be expensive, takes a while to prepare, and some fussy eaters just won't be convinced to try new dishes.

Easy Ways to Improve Your Diet

In this quick read, we explore some easy ways to improve your diet and make eating well more interesting for the whole family.

Hide Your Veggies

It's not just kids who are fussy eaters. More and more of us have become dependent on boxes and bags of beige oven food because it's easy to prepare and tastes good. Hiding vegetables in food is a great way to introduce a more nutritious diet without causing tantrums.

Pasta sauce is a staple in many households, and it's easy to sneak some extra veggies into your otherwise plain tomato sauce. Just whizz it in a blender and keep quiet when it comes to serving up dinner. This can also work for traditional British dishes like shepherd's pie, cottage pie, and shortcrust pies.

Try Smoothies

Smoothies are a great way to boost your diet. Start by using berries and bananas and gradually introduce spinach, kale, or cucumber. If you or your family really don't like the idea of drinking a smoothie for breakfast, split the mixture into smaller containers and freeze for a frozen yoghurt-style dessert.

Opt for Baked Chips

Chips are a firm favorite for most of us, but why fry them when you can bake them? Baking reduces the calories and fat content. They're not quite like chips from the local fish and chip shop, but it's a small compromise to make when it comes to getting healthier. You could also try baking sweet potato chips to add some variety.

Explore Rice Replacements

Swap rice grains for veggie rice to add more nutrition. Cauliflower or broccoli rice might not taste the same as regular rice, but when covered in sauce, your family might not even notice the difference. If that doesn't work, try making fakeaways like egg-fried rice with added peas, carrots, and other vegetables, or spicy rice with peppers, tomatoes, and onions.

Learn More about Healthy Eating

Healthy Eating Week is a campaign run by the British Nutrition Foundation. To find out more ways to improve your diet, check out their tips here.

Share Your Tips

Do you have any tips for hiding fruit and vegetables in your meals? Comment below.