Summer MyPlate: Vary Your Veggies
Now that you know what MyPlate is and the health benefits of following it, it’s time to explore how to make the most of this fantastic guide to balanced eating.
Let’s begin with one of my favorite food groups: vegetables.
According to MyPlate, one of the keys to this particular collection is variety. In fact, MyPlate divides the vegetable food group into five subgroups based on nutrient content: red and orange, dark green, starchy, beans peas and lentils, and other.
Now MyPlate has loads of information about each subgroup (and we do too), so let’s move on to maximizing the fun you can have with the vegetable group this summer.
Strategy #1: Farmer’s Markets
These are a goldmine for exploring new flavors in the vegetable world. Farmstands and farmer’s markets often stock heirloom varieties of common vegetables, along with other hard-to-find types that might be just what you’re looking for to spice up your routine.
The people who run stands at farmer’s markets are also fonts of helpful information. If you tell them what kinds of vegetables you like, they’ll often be excited to share suggestions about what else you might like, and even how to prepare them.
With the variety of produce at farmer’s markets during the summer, it’s downright easy to vary your veggies!
Strategy #2: Eat Seasonally for Budget and Flavor Success
Vegetables that are local and in season often taste better than their counterparts from far away. They’re usually cheaper too, because you don’t have to pay for specialty growing equipment or transportation costs. When you go to buy vegetables, think seasonally.
That usually means loads of greens and carrots in the early summer, tomatoes, eggplant, and green beans in mid summer, and peppers and potatoes in late summer. Check in with your grocer or at the farmstand to learn more about what is in season where you live right now!
We’re not done with the fun yet! Next time, I’ll share some of my favorite recipes to help you take this advice into the kitchen…
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