Eat Your Veggies Today!

Today is Eat Your Vegetables Day so you have no excuse not to get your five today!

This month is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables month and today is Eat Your Vegetables Day, so you have no excuse not to get your five today!

Today, SupermarketGuru encourages you to eat vegetables for every meal, and for a snack. Better yet, go vegetarian for the day; and if you can’t, any additional vegetables during your meals will honor the event, as well as make you a little healthier. Year round, you should strive to include at least one vibrantly colored veggie with every meal.

Parents are encouraged to let the kids help with dinner, by preparing the salad and vegetables. If your lucky, and you have a garden in your yard or neighborhood, make sure today you gather veggies from the garden for you meals. Letting kids pick and prepare their veggies increases the chances that they will eat them.

So, as food prices climb, SupermarketGuru has some tips to help you include veggies while, of course saving money!
Luckily there is an abundance of wonderful spring and summer produce to choose from. Eating produce in season means that it’s fresher and more nutritious, because if it’s growing in your area, transportation time is less and the sooner you eat veggies to when they were picked the more nutritious they are. You should be able to find seasonally fresh asparagus, spinach, beets, broccoli, peas, turnips, lettuce, mushrooms, collards, kale, radishes and more depending on the region in which you live.

If you are in a bind and cant use fresh vegetables, using canned vegetables and beans is a great alternative. Using canned veggies in casseroles, soups and stews saves preparation and cooking time, as well as energy, while providing the same nutritional value as fresh foods.

Here are some tips: When shopping for canned vegetables, it’s important to purchase cans with out any dents or bulges as both are signs that the product inside is compromised. Be sure to read the nutritional labels. Although many consumers say they read labels, they usually are checking for calories or fat content. Check to be sure there are no added ingredients. Also, don’t assume economy-sized cans are a bargain. Oftentimes, traditional 8-ounce cans are the real deal since producers use those in volume. To be sure compare the unit cost versus the cost per can.

Look out for salt! Sodium (sodium chloride) is added to some vegetables and beans because it acts as a preservative. It is also advised to rinse canned foods thoroughly, to get rid of excess sodium from the canning liquids. Remember you can always add more salt, but you can’t take it away!

There are a variety of ways to eat your vegetables everyday, so today make sure you get out there and celebrate Eat Your Vegetables Day!