4 veg-tastic food swaps

Choosing nutritious food doesn’t mean sacrificing the flavours you love. Try swapping out discretionary food items for a more nutritious veggie option.

Sweet muffins -> savory veggie muffins

Muffins are often a great on the go snack and ideal in lunchboxes. For a healthy upgrade swap out your traditional sweet muffin for a savory option that includes veg. You also have the added benefit of being able to make these at home and get the kids involved in the process.

Dips and crackers –> dips and veggie sticks

Swap out crackers for fresh and crunchy veggie sticks. Enjoying a platter with friends? Add veggie sticks. After an easy and fresh snack? Cut up some veggies such as carrots and cucumber to snack on. On the go? Plan ahead and have some in the fridge to take with you, or you’ll find most supermarkets have veg and dip options to enjoy.

Milkshake -> smoothies

Surprise yourself with how delicious, and nutritious a veggie smoothie can be! A veggie smoothie is the perfect way to get an extra veg into your day. We’ve tried and tested delicious smoothie recipes in the Try for 5 recipe book. Go on and give it a try!

Add a veg to your breakfast!

Start your day off right with a veggie-packed breakfast. Studies have shown that a nutritious breakfast – one that had a low GI (glycemic index) and was high in quality carbohydrates – had the biggest benefits when it came to morning alertness and, importantly, maintaining that alert state.

Your morning menu doesn’t need to be complicated (or boring) with these easy tips:

• Chuck some chopped tomato or capsicum into your omelette
• Add avocado or tomato to vegemite toast
• Sautee leafy greens or mushrooms with your eggs
• Veg up your smoothie by adding leafy greens or frozen zucchini, avocado or cauliflower to make it creamy
• Prefer something sweet? Add zucchini to your pancakes or grate some carrot onto your breakfast muffins or bars