Whether you struggle to eat enough veggies yourself or the obstacle involves the rest of your household, it never hurts to find sneaky ways to get them into your meals. Eating an array of whole foods regularly is the perfect equation to a healthier you, but I fully realize living with a picky eater can make it challenging to make this a part of your every day. On the other hand, even if you regularly put a salad bowl on the table at dinner time, it can get tiresome eating the same things.

That's when I use my tricks for sneaking veggies into meals, or simply switching up how you cook them to trick your taste buds. Here's how to make sure you take in more vegetables every day.

Try roasting them

Root vegetables take on a whole new texture and flavor when you oven-roast them. All it takes is just a little brush with olive oil, and you'll be enjoying more carrots and beets! A good rule of thumb is cooking them at 400F for about 30 minutes. If you like them more tender, continue cooking until desired tenderness. Topping with fresh herbs and garlic makes them irresistible!

Go for a super-stealth move

Kids and picky adults alike won't know when you blend carrots, spinach, or even lentils into pasta sauce. This also works while making soups and stews. Next time you have pasta night, try this trick by blending up some spinach and another veggie or two into your pasta sauce.

Serve it with a healthy dip

Salsa and hummus are two all-star dips that even the pickiest people tend to adore. Vegetables are more fun to dip and dunk anyway, whether you're a kid or just a kid at heart.

Blend away your apprehension

Sometimes the chunky vegetables in soups can be off-putting to little ones or picky eaters. Lucky for you, if you puree them into a smooth consistency, nobody will notice. It's great for white beans and cauliflower, for example, both of which can mimic a rich and creamy soup base.

Slurp it in smoothies

When you put green veggies in smoothies with sweet fruit, you won't even know they're there. If you or your kids can't stand the thought of trying to eat vegetables, blending them up in your blender will be the game-changer you need to get your essential vitamins and minerals.

Try quinoa

Quinoa is a sneaky plant all on its own. It eats like rice, but it has tons of nutrition like more obvious vegetables. This can be mixed in with most recipes, too, without changing the flavor. You can also try getting pasta made from quinoa, paired with your hidden veggie pasta sauce trick -- you've got a slam dunk on your plate.

Now's the time to start sneaking in more nutrition in the way of veggies for you and your family. Try working with these tips to have a more well-rounded plate to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.

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