When people talk about wanting to eat healthier meals, sometimes they don’t know how to get started. For example, you may have heard you should reduce saturated fat and cholesterol, or cut back on red meat and deli meats, or eat more fiber, but how exactly do those good intentions show up at your dinner table? One way to make meals healthier is to add more plants to our meals. 

Eating More Plants is a Healthy Choice

Plant foods increase your daily fiber intake. Only plant foods have fiber; there is no fiber in animal-based foods. Fiber helps us feel full sooner, so we naturally stop eating, and it helps to hold off hunger for longer. People who eat a lower-fat, high-fiber diet may not need to count calories or restrict portions! Fiber also benefits gut health, relieves constipation, and helps to remove toxins, excess hormones, and unwanted cholesterol from our bodies.

Unprocessed plant foods tend to have fewer calories than animal foods for the equivalent weight. This can be helpful for anyone trying to shed a few pounds. For a visual representation of the calories in different foods of the same weight, search online for “calorie density chart.” 

For optimal weight loss, it’s also helpful to limit plant foods that are higher in calories—including nuts/nut butter and seeds, avocados, coconut, and dried fruit. Instead, eat more plants that are high in water content, including melons, apples, tomatoes, celery, cucumber, and bell peppers. 

Plant foods contain powerful antioxidants, which help to fight various diseases. Eating many different colors of plants boosts the immune system, as individual antioxidants are often concentrated in fruits and vegetables sharing the same or similar colors. “Eat the rainbow” is a fun way to communicate to kids the importance of eating different colored fruits and vegetables. Let kids choose their favorite colorful produce and pack it for a school lunch or make a “rainbow plate” to share with friends or family. 

To Incorporate More Plants in Your Meals

Make simple changes to favorite meals you already make.

Instead of trying to overhaul your cooking repertoire, take some dishes you already enjoy and reduce animal-based ingredients and add in plants. 

In pasta dishes with a tomato sauce, reduce or replace meat and add mushrooms, artichoke hearts, chickpeas, zucchini, or white beans. 

For burritos or tacos, use lentils or black beans, seasoned with chili powder, cumin, and onions. 

In a Chinese-style stir fry, try tofu marinated in soy sauce and garlic as a substitute for meat. 

On the grill, put a small amount of vinaigrette over cut peppers, onions, mushrooms, eggplant, and zucchini. Toss to coat and put veggies on skewers or in a grill basket. 

Keep ready-to-eat cut fruit and vegetables in the fridge, along with hummus or another bean dip. (See the recipe for black bean dip below.) If you involve your children in selecting, washing, and cutting the veggies, and let them make the dip, they may be more interested in eating it.

Look for ways to add more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans to your meals. Add small amounts of beans to salads and soups, for example, to get people used to eating them. Combine some warmed leftover quinoa or rice with a green salad to make it more filling. Put apple slices on your morning oatmeal or in a peanut butter sandwich.

After-School Black Bean Dip

Here’s a convenient, on-the-go snack to keep everyone happy until dinnertime. 

• 1 15 oz. can black beans (approx. 1 ½ cups)
• 1 cup of salsa (any variety)
• ½ t. mild chili powder (optional)
• Rinse beans and drain, to remove excess liquid and salt. Place beans and salsa in food processor and blend until smooth. Or mash the beans with a fork, then stir in salsa. Taste the dip to assess flavor. Add chili powder, if desired. 

Serve as a dip with cut veggies or spread the dip inside a corn tortilla or whole wheat wrap, adding strips of bell pepper, grated carrot, or sliced cucumber for crunch and color. Roll it up and serve. 

Culinary instructor Deb Czech teaches a variety of plant-based cooking and nutrition classes, in person and online. More information is at plantedplatter.com.