Finally, a day when your mum’s advice to “eat your vegetables” gets a whole lot of backing.
Today is all about celebrating the mighty veggies, their health benefits, and their deliciousness. Whether you’re a longtime veggie lover or someone who needs a little nudge to get those greens onto your plate, this day is the perfect excuse to dive into the vegetable aisle.
Vegetable growers, LeaderBrand, know all about the benefits of veggies as they grow some of New Zealand’s most popular veggies like broccoli, spinach, and corn in summer.
Kylie Faulkner from LeaderBrand said that too often, vegetables are an afterthought and only added to meals as a side dish. Eat Your Vegetables Day is a chance for vegetables to shine and get the attention they deserve.
“Think of veggies as the star of the show. We’re on a mission to put veggies front and centre in homes across the country, hopefully in every dish. Try thinking of vegetables as an essential
part of meals – no meal is complete without some,” she said.
“You can add a handful of spinach into your breakfast smoothie or some wild rocket with your eggs. Lettuce and salad are perfect at lunchtime, and dinner is the time for veggies to shine. But don’t forget veg can also be a perfect snack, whether it’s carrots and hummus or a stick of celery and peanut butter – the options are endless!
Vegetables are beneficial thanks to the high nutrient content ,including vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants. All these nutrients help support your overall health and in particular your heart.
The health and health system cost benefits of increasing vegetable intake by one serve for all New Zealanders support the initiative of adding one more veg to your diet.
If all New Zealanders added one more vegetable (75g) every day, it would save the health system just over NZD 830 million over the life span of the population.
“Make sure you let vegetables be the hero of your plate today. From salads to soups and everything in between, there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate veggies.”
Let’s make veggies the star of the show today and every day. Happy Eat Your Vegetables Day, New Zealand!
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