Despite the recent changes in many of our daily routines, we may still be finding it hard to sit down, relax, and enjoy a nutritious meal a few times a day. Too often, we fall into the same old patterns that have us choosing easy, grab-and-go options over whole-food, plant-based foods: We skip breakfast in favor of a protein bar or shake, quickly eat lunch while distracted by work or another activity, and maybe sneak in another processed, packaged snack to combat the 3PM slump.
While these behaviors may feel normal, our bodies know better. More than ever, people are struggling with digestive issues, poor energy, low immune systems, and other common health concerns that could be dramatically improved if we simply slowed down, listened to our bodies, and added more whole-food, plant-based foods to our daily diet. Scroll for expert tips from Megan Faletra, MS, MPH, RDN to help you do just that.
5 Tips For Adding More Whole Plant-Based Foods Into Your Daily Diet
Sit Down For 15-20 Minutes With Each Meal
Many people are not taking the time to sit down and slowly eat each of their meals. By simply giving yourself 15-20 minutes to slowly eat and digest each meal, you’ll be more likely to choose more whole-food, plant-based foods over processed options—and you’ll feel better for it!
Choose Whole Foods Over Processed Snacks
Processed snacks are one of the most common ways that people end up consuming a lot of processed foods. Switching to whole-food, plant-based snacks is a great place to start when adding more whole foods into your daily diet. Skip the processed, packaged snack food and opt for more whole foods, like an apple with almond butter or carrots and hummus.
Add 1-2 Servings of Veggies Into Your Morning Or Mid-Day Smoothie
If you love having a smoothie each day, you’ll be happy to know that this is a really simple way to add more veggies to your diet! Some of my favorite vegetables to add to smoothies are: 1-2 cups of spinach or kale, frozen zucchini, or ½ an avocado.
Choose Prepared Meals Made From Whole Plants
Sometimes, we just don’t have time to prepare our own meals. On those days, it’s great to have whole-food, plant-based options that are already prepared and filled with nutrients. I love the Complete Jackfruit Meals for this exact purpose. They’re loaded with whole-food ingredients like whole grains, vegetables, legumes, spices, and health-conscious oils. If you have a little more time and energy, Jackfruit Meal Starters are a perfect jumping-off point from which to create your own delicious and nutritious meal.
Eat The Rainbow
Here’s a quick tip: Most processed foods aren’t very colorful—so simply choosing more colorful foods is a great way to ensure that you’re getting more whole foods into your diet. The next time you sit down to have a meal or snack, take notice of how colorful your meal is and see if there are some ways you can add a little more color! Your body and mind will thank you later.
Find more tips and delicious recipes that incorporate whole-food, plant-based ingredients at thejackfruitcompany.com.