By Christine Schroeder, MOT, OTR/L

“Is the grass really greener on the other side?”

(Well, when it comes to incorporating and eating more veggies in your diet…..YES!)

Spring is in the air….Well, kind of. LOL

 It’s that wonderful time of year when we look forward to everything coming to life again. Flowers blooming. Gardens being planted. Grass growing (well, unless you don’t like mowing). If you are like me, this comes with mixed feelings. I love all the possibilities of spring, but quickly feel overwhelmed by all there is to do.

However, I have also come to realize that the key is to take one day at a time and stay focused. Spring offers us a great opportunity to add some “green” and new life to our overall health and wellness.

Not only does spring give us the chance to get out of the house to exercise, it also gives us the chance to incorporate some green/color into our diets. Although I am not much of a green thumb, I love fresh produce.

Spring is a great time to get that garden planted and ‘test’ out your green thumbs. But, if you are like me, and struggle to get anything to grow from your garden but weeds, there are tons of opportunity to purchase fresh produce from local vendors and area markets.

And if fruit and veggies aren’t the first thing you think of when you want a snack, there a number of simple (and sneaky) ways to incorporate more greens into your diet without sacrificing flavor:

1 . Add a little bit of ‘green’ to your next smoothie.

Try adding just a leaf or two of spinach or kale in your next smoothie….you won’t even taste the difference!

2. Choose one extra veggie to add to your pizza.

Be brave and try pineapple on your pizza.

3. Chop up zucchini or squash or carrots and add to your favorite dessert.

It’ll make you feel a little less guilty about eating that brownie if it’s a zucchini brownie with chia and flax seed added. ;)

4. Buy already washed and chopped up fruit and veggies.

This is a great time saver! You’ll be surprised at how much easier it is to grab a sweet pepper or some blueberries to snack on when it is already cleaned and ready for you to eat ;)

“Your mind is a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers or you can grow weeds.” - Unknown

Click below to read about how to simply add more fruits and veggies into your diet:

• Easy way to increase your fruit-veggie intake

• 40 ways to sneak veggies into any meal without sacrificing flavor

As always, feel free to give us a call anytime to set up your free 15 minute consultation to learn more about how to become the healthier you!

CLICK HERE for Christine's previous columns

Healthe Habits for Living
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120 N Main St. Suite A
Bluffton, OH 45817
Phone: 419-358-2222