Adding Fruits and Vegetables to your Diet may seem Difficult but it's Not

Americans are some of the most overweight people on the planet. This doesn't surprise me when it's incredibly easy to get a burger from McDonalds and its easier than going to a supermarket, getting food, and then preparing it.

Many of us have gotten used to getting what we want in an instant, so waiting until we are done making our food feel like a pain.

Fast food companies make it simple for us to get food quickly but how nutritious is it? The problem may be that we don't ask for fruit or vegetables with our meals or that they simply don't come with it.

Here are some ways you can get your daily amount of fruits and vegetables and not have to spend much time waiting for your food.

Breakfast

It's said to be the most important meal of the day and with diners open to the late hours of the day, people are enjoying pancakes and waffle at 2 a.m. While these foods are delicious, they are not always the best when you want to eat healthy.

Starting your day with an omelet is a great way to get some vegetables into your diet. They are so easy to make, and you can add almost anything to them.

I like adding cheese and spinach to mine, but if you like your food hot you may want to add peppers and some hot sauce on the side.

Other vegetables that go well with omelets are onions, mushroom, and celery.

Those that need to add fruit to their diet can benefit from eating oatmeal in the morning. Many of us find oatmeal to be bland and a great way to make it tasty is to add berries.

Strawberries, blueberries, and black berries are delicious on their own but add them to oatmeal and you have yourself a delicious and healthy breakfast.

If you have time in the morning, these meals are great for breakfast. But many of us have barely enough time to shower and get dressed before we have to run out the door.

Meal prepping is a life saver in this situation. You can make waffles or pancakes on your off day and freeze them for them week. Now you just have to throw them in the toaster and you have a nutritious breakfast for the day.

Lunch

Lunch can be a fun event on certain days. You get together with your coworkers and decide to go out one day to let off some steam. But what do you do on the other days?

Soups are a good choice when you are not sure what to eat. They can fill you up and if you make the right choices, they can be healthy.

By replacing noodles with vegetables, you are getting an extra serving of vegetables in your day. It's recommended that you get three servings of vegetables per day and two serving of fruit.

On those days when you can go out for lunch, make the right decisions. If you are someone who is counting calories or knowledgeable about your weight, this may be easy for you.

Others may need to stick to the vegetarian menu.

These menus allow you to get those servings of vegetables in while still going out and enjoying time with friends and family. Make sure to ask for fruit on the side instead of fries.

Now you are getting your serving of fruit as well.

Most of us don't understand how much of certain foods are supposed to be on our plates. This may be why we are overeating or not getting the right nutrients every day.

Another way to get more vegetables into our diet is to replace half of the meat on our sandwiches with leafy greens. Many people choose lettuce, but a more nutritious choice is spinach.

Doing this will also fill you up faster and prevent you from overeating.

Dinner

This is where I learned how to structure my plate before eating. While the mashed potatoes and streak are more enjoyable, they should not take up most of the plate.

Having more vegetables on your plate makes sure you get the most out of every meal.

Stir fry allows you to add anything to your meal, including vegetables. This is a great way to add some nutrition to your day.

I know there's a debate about whether pineapple should belong on pizza, but it's one way to add fruit to one of your meals.

I personally have never tried it and have heard both sides. Maybe one day I will make my decision on that but for now I will stick to adding things like mushrooms and peppers to my pizza.

Snacks

This is where most people get into trouble with their diets. While running around all day, you look for the nearest snack and pounce. Those snacks tend to not be the healthiest or include no fruits or vegetables.

Look for the grab and go health foods. Sliced apples can come with peanut butter or caramel and give you a much-needed sugar rush to get you through your next meeting.

Carrots, celery and bananas are also easy to throw in your bag at the beginning of the day.

Slice them up, put them in their own bags and grab them when you feel hungry. You can have some fun and make fruit kebabs too.

Having fruits and vegetables in containers makes it easy to bring them with you for the day. Bringing dips makes them more fun too.

Carrots and hummus is a personal favorite or mine, but guacamole goes well with almost anything.

Final Thoughts

It may seem like eating healthy is hard to do, but the truth is it's not as difficult as people make it out to be. The first step is to learn how to make the right choices when mealtime comes.

You know that you need to get a certain amount of nutrients in everyday so keep track of what you have eaten.

Meal prepping is a great start to this and you won't be tempted to eat other snacks because you know you have something in your bag or at home.

Eating more fruits and vegetables will help you feel full longer, in turn helping you lose weight. There're many advantages to adding healthier foods to your diet but you won't know until you try it.