We all know how important it is to eat our veggies — but let’s face it. Incorporating the right amount of vegetables into our diet can feel like a chore. If you’re someone who gets bored of food easily, we’ve got GREAT news: the days of soggy and bland steamed veggies are OVER. Here are 20 creative ways to sneakily add more flavorful veggies to your diet without getting bored.
1. Roasted and Tossed in Your Fave Sauce
Graduate from boiled veggies and venture out into the world of roasted veggies. Prepare crispy, roasted veggies in your traditional oven in minutes. Even better, toss them in your favorite sauce like in these Buffalo Cauliflower Bites. All you need is cauliflower, flour, spices, and your favorite sauce.
2. Transformed Into Chips
Did you know that you can make your own veggie chips in the air fryer? Swap your store-bought chips and make them for less at home. You can do this with sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, and even zucchini! Check out this recipe for Air Fryer Zucchini Chips and go wild.
3. Blended Into Your Smoothies
This hack is life changing. Blend your go-to smoothie recipe and sneak in a handful of flavor-neutral greens like spinach and kale. You’ll barely taste the difference!
4. As Pizza Toppings
Bell peppers, mushrooms, eggplant, arugula — the possibilities are endless! Next time you order or make your own pizza, top it with some veggies and eat all the colors of the rainbow.
5. Spiralized as Noodles
Spiralized veggies are trending and for good reason. Their shape and texture remind us of our favorite noodles, PLUS they’re super affordable if you spiralize them yourself. (The store-bought spiralized veggies can be expensive.) Do this with zucchini, squash, turnips, or even carrots. Top with your favorite pasta sauce and enjoy!
6. Disguised as Nuggets
This chicken nugget spin-off packs all the veggies in a crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside-like fashion. For delicious, dippable bites, check out this recipe for Hidden Veggie Nuggets, which features a sneaky combination of shredded vegetables.
7. Layered as Lasagna Sheets
If you want a lasagna-like dish that’s lower in calories, this hack is for you. Slice up your vegetables into sheets to use as your lasagna layers instead of the traditional wheat lasagna sheets. This can be done with zucchini and eggplant, like in this recipe for Eggplant Lasagna.
8. Formed Into Burger Patties
These are a great option for Meatless Mondays. Stuff them into a sandwich or a burger bun, and you’re all set! Check out this recipe for Vegetable Patties that features broccoli, zucchini, peppers, and carrots.
9. Rolled Up Into Wraps
Use a big, crunchy lettuce leaf as a wrap, instead of a traditional wheat tortilla wrap. This recipe for Chicken Lettuce Wraps uses butter lettuce to reduce calories without sacrificing flavor.
10. Snuck Into a Frittata
For picky eaters, the best way to eat more veggies is by sneaking them in so you don’t even realize you’re eating them. This recipe for Zucchini Frittata does just that!
11. Camouflaged as Dessert
Ever thought you could be having vegetables for dessert? Neutral-flavored vegetables can be used in all kinds of desserts to boost your daily intake of greens while satisfying your sweet tooth — like in these Zucchini Lemon Drop Cookies.
12. As Fajita Filling
Whether you make vegetarian fajitas or simply want to add extra veggies to your traditional fajitas, this recipe for Vegetarian Fajitas is a great filling option. Featuring onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, and zucchini, this dish is colorful and festive.
13. Blended in a Soup
Creamy, blended soups are a hit if you want to increase your veggie intake without seeing the veggies. Plus, they’re a great option for those colder months. We love this rich, flavorful, and comforting Cauliflower White Bean Soup.
14. As Pasta Sauce
If you’re bored of the traditional tomato-based or cream-based sauces, you can blend pretty much any vegetable into a thick, sauce-like consistency. For example, this recipe for Broccoli Pasta blends cooked broccoli with parmesan cheese to create a smooth, rich pasta sauce.
15. Stuffed and Roasted
Switch things up by making veggies the star of the show. Cut open a bell pepper, zucchini, or even squash, scoop out the insides and stuff it with your favorite grains and/or protein before roasting in the oven, like in this recipe for Turkey and Kale Stuffed Roasted Butternut Squash.
16. As Chip Dip
Bring a big serving of sneaky veggies to your next get-together with a flavor-packed chip dip. This recipe for Spinach, Avocado, and Artichoke Dip is vegan-friendly and gluten-free.
17. In Fried Rice
Jumble up that fried rice with extra veggies to increase volume and help you feel fuller for longer. Some of our favorite and affordable additions are peas, shredded carrots, cabbage, and bell peppers.
18. Mixed in Savory Oatmeal
Have you ever tried savory oatmeal? Trust us, it will be life changing! With this approach, you can have quick and easy oats for a filling lunch or dinner. Try this recipe for Avocado and Kale Savory Oatmeal and see for yourself!
19. Snuck Into Meatloaf
Try a “sneakloaf” to get your family to eat more veggies. This is a great way to quickly use up all those veggies that are about to spoil in your fridge. Chard, broccoli, carrots, anything goes! Check out this recipe for Tried-And-True Sneakloaf and give it a try.
20. Air Fried on Kebabs
Don’t wait until your next BBQ for some mouthwatering kebabs. This quick and easy way to add more color and nutrition to your weekly meals is all the rage. Jump on the air fryer bandwagon with these Air Fryer Chicken and Veggie Kebabs.
There’s no reason to get bored of your weekly meals. With these inspo recipes, you’ll actually look forward to eating your veggies. Remember to visit the Flipp app to find all these ingredients at the best prices.
