National Eat Your Vegetables Day is almost here!
On June 17, celebrate the season and your body with a day full of fresh veggies!
That’s right, there’s a national holiday to encourage eating your vegetables! There are so many benefits to having a healthy dose of vegetables in your regular diet that we’ve explored in some of our previous blogs like Why You Should REALLY Eat Your Greens, 8 Health Benefits of Eating Spinach, and 8 Anti-Inflammatory Foods You NEED to Know. Aside from the health benefits that vegetables provide, incorporating more vegetables into you and your family’s diet is also a great way to support local farmers! Instead of treating June 17 like a normal Thursday, add some healthy fun to your week and shake up your day by celebrating the holiday with these tips!
Image by Gareth Hubbard
1. Make a homemade meal with your favorite vegetables!
There’s nothing like a homemade meal to celebrate a holiday. Luckily, there are so many recipes out there that are filled with vegetables for everyone to enjoy! If you’re the type of person that loves to show their skills with cooking, fresh ingredients are definitely a must. Use the holiday as an opportunity to try out your green thumb and start your own vegetable and herb garden for endless access to your favorite fresh ingredients. Or, visit a farmer’s market to browse local farmers’ harvests and get delicious, fresh fruits and vegetables to use in your kitchen. The Alabama Farmer’s Market is open daily all-year-round making it a great option for everyone, and it’s located in Birmingham near Village Creek, making it just around the corner for Birmingham locals! Support local farmers and reduce your carbon footprint by opting for Farmers Market selections. Many people say once you try locally sourced produce, the taste and freshness is so good you’ll never go back! May as well use this opportunity to try it out, why not? For meal inspiration, we’ve got a few unique recipes recommendations featuring delectable vegetables below, so make sure to stick around!
Image by Sebastian Coman Photography
Get a vegetarian meal at a restaurant!
You don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy a flavorful vegetarian meal. Setting aside at least one meal a week to be meatless not only is it great for your health, but it’s also a great way to incorporate a more sustainable practice into your life. Even if you don’t feel like changing up your weekly routine too much, you can always try new dining options when going out to eat! Holidays are the perfect excuse to visit a restaurant, so why not try some new vegetarian cuisine while you’re at it? It can be difficult to find vegetarian restaurants, but most restaurants nowadays offer vegetarian options or their meals can be easily altered to be vegetarian. You can always see what your favorite place has to offer, but if you’re in the market for some adventure, try out some vegetarian-friendly restaurants around Birmingham! Makario’s Kabobs & Grill is a great local Mediterranean restaurant located just off of UAB Campus, order some takeout and enjoy your fresh vegetarian dish enjoying the nature scene at nearby Vulcan Park & Museum! How about a quaint lunch nestled in Homewood? Real & Rosemary offers delicate and unique fresh salads and more for an adorable vegetarian afternoon lunch! You can even schedule a romantic evening while celebrating National Eat Your Vegetables Day! Make reservations at Seasons 52 near the Summit and enjoy a one-of-a-kind vegetarian meal with your special person! Wherever you go, expand your palette and opt for a vegetarian dish to celebrate this holiday.
Image by Randy Fath
Get in your “five” servings of veggies!
You know the saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away!” Well, doctors actually suggest we should bump it up to five servings of fruits and vegetables daily to maintain a healthy diet and make sure you’re getting all the nutrients your body needs every day. That sounds like a pretty big difference, but it’s actually a lot easier to make this work than it sounds! Knowing what constitutes a “serving” of vegetables is the best way to ensure you’re getting enough, and this list is a great guide to adding more vegetables to your diet!
- 1 cup of raw carrots
- 1 cup of raw spinach
- 1 cup of cucumber
- 1 cup of raw bell peppers
- ½ cup cooked broccoli
- ½ cup cooked cauliflower
- ½ cup cooked green beans
Now that you’ve got a baseline of how much of the veggies counts as a serving, it’s so much easier to incorporate five servings of vegetables into your everyday diet! If you’ve been slacking on eating your veggies, use National Eat Your Vegetables Day as an opportunity to restructure your diet and start adding more veggies to your meals!
Recipes for National Eat Your Vegetables Day!
Here are three unique and tasty recipes featuring vegetables to make at home and celebrate the national holiday!
Cacio e Pepe with Sage and Mushrooms
This quick and easy recipe only needs five simple ingredients for this savory masterpiece.
Get the recipe here!
Rag Pasta with Tomato, Basil, and Brie
This French twist on an Italian classic is the perfect way to explore flavors with fresh vegetables!
Get the recipe here!
Crusted Halloumi Tacos with Pico de Gallo
Broaden your culinary horizons with this one-of-a-kind taco recipe!
Get the recipe here!
Celebrate National Eat Your Vegetables Day on June 17, 2021! Use these ideas to inspire how you incorporate more vegetables into your meals or how to spend the day! Whether you’re trying out a new type of cuisine for the first time, or simply increasing how many vegetables you eat, know that this is a great way to take care of your health while having fun!
We hope you enjoy this article about 3 Ways to Celebrate National Eat Your Vegetables Day. If you tried incorporating these things into your regular routine, make sure to let us know! For more recipes, follow us on social media and make sure to check out our weekly blog posts where we share our new favorite recipes and must-know facts about food and living a healthy lifestyle! Check out the other meal options Mealfit provides such as our Weekly Specials, Individual Meals, and other Meals by the Pound.
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