Alright, I'm just gonna come out and say it- vegetables aren't my favorite. I'm definitely not the pickiest eater out there, but I could definitely be getting more veggies in my diet. Which can be easier said than done- I know I'm not the only one that struggles getting all the recommended servings of vegetables every day! If you struggle with this, or you have family members that struggle with this (I'm looking at you, kids ;) ), then read on for ways to get more vegetables in your diet!

1. Buy the pre-washed stuff. I know it's not always the cheapest, but honestly, this alone has been huge for me! As a homeschooling mother of 5 children under the age of 8 (one of which is a 3 month old), time is a very valuable asset, and even the 5 minutes it would take to wash and cut up celery stalks is a deterrent. By buying a package of pre-washed celery from Costco, I'm automatically more likely to grab it for a snack because it's prepped and ready to go! You can also wash and cut up a bunch of vegetables at the beginning of the week if you want to save the cost of buying the pre-washed stuff.

2. Start with the ones you do like! Sometimes I feel like if I'm not eating handfuls of kale, than I'm not really eating vegetables- which is just silly! There are so many varieties of vegetables; you can start with what you love and over time gradually introduce new veggies in your diet! My son hates sugar snap peas and peppers, but he'll eat roasted broccoli like it's going out of style, so I tend to serve that more often!

3. Try preparing them different ways. Speaking of my son, when given plain or steamed broccoli, he's really not a fan. But if you roast it in the oven, he just can't get enough! Textures change depend on how you prepare your veggies, so experiment to see what you like best!

4. Add flavor! Sometimes I feel like if I eat my peppers and cauliflower with ranch dip, I'm cheating and I just may as well not eat them. While a ranch dip definitely adds calories, you're still getting the nutrition from the veggies, so it's better than not eating them at all! And you don't always have to add something so high-calorie as ranch. Salt and pepper, cumin, garlic salt, even the popcorn flavorings they sell in shakers are all lower-calorie options to add some flavor!

5. Experiment with different meals. Maybe you don't like eating a particular veggie plain, but trying it with other foods and incorporated into other dishes can change your mind! As a child, I hated tomatoes, but my mom would make toast with slices of tomato and melted cheese and I loved it. It's still one of my favorite easy go-to meals! Same with peppers. The thought of eating a red pepper raw makes me want to gag, but I could eat fajitas for days! My kids balk at the sight of onions in a casserole, but if you caramelize them or add them to pico de gallo, they will eat them by the plateful! If you don't love a particular vegetable, maybe you just haven't found the right recipe yet!

6. Be sneaky. Sometimes you just have to straight up hide the vegetables, and that's ok! I love making blueberry smoothies- and adding a healthy handful of spinach to top it off! I can't taste it, but I love that I'm getting all that extra nutrition! I also like adding chopped spinach to scrambled eggs, spaghetti sauces- you can almost add chopped spinach to anything! Cauliflower soup is NOT low calorie, but super tasty, and a sneaky way to get my kids to try something new!

7. Exercise! I'm sure some of you are saying wait, what? That has nothing to do with eating! But it absolutely does! I have found that when I am following a consistent workout regime, my body just naturally craves the healthy stuff more! As much as I love ice cream, it's much easier to say no, and I actually want to snack on carrots and sugar snap peas. Exercise makes a huge difference!

8. Try and try again. Ok, most people prefer the taste of a chocolate chip cookie to a plate of green beans. But we also want to take care of our bodies, and that's why it's so important to make sure we are actually eating vegetables! I have found that when I am consistent with exercise, cutting back on sweets, and trying to incorporate more fruits and vegetables in my diet, it becomes much easier to eat more and more vegetables- because you're already in the habit and your tastebuds really do adjust!

What tips do you have for our non-veggie eating readers? Share with us below!