6 ways to eat more plants

With this in mind, we thought we'd deep dive into our 3 main motives to eat a diet that is rich in plants (specifically 30+ a week)...

1. Enhanced Nutrient Density: Plant-based diets are rich in essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidants and phytonutrients. These nutrients help improve immune function, maintain healthy skin, and reduce inflammation. Studies have shown that increased intake of plant foods supports optimal cellular function and reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.
2. Improved Gut Health: The high fibre content in plant-based diets promotes a healthy gut microbiome, essential for digestion, nutrient absorption, and immune function. Fibre-rich diets have been associated with lower risks of gut-related conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and colorectal cancer.
3. Support for a Healthy Weight Balance: A plant-rich diet, abundant in whole foods and low in processed ingredients, naturally encourages a balanced approach to eating. The high fibre content in these foods promotes feelings of fullness, helping to maintain steady energy levels and reduce unnecessary snacking. Make sure to include a balance of vegetables, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and protein. Supplement a plant-rich diet with unprocessed animal protein and/or plant-based protein such as lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, tofu, tempeh, edamame, chia, hemp and almonds. A gentle approach can support long-term, sustainable weight management, without the need for restrictive dieting.

Here's 6 steps to help you incorporate more plants into your day... 

(N.B. Plant foods include fruit, veg, nuts, seeds, legumes and herbs)

1. Breakfast: Oats, fruit, nuts, seeds and plant based milks are a good place to start but how about alternating between savoury and sweet days to include even more diversity before you've even left the house. Try mixing it up with some of these ideas: chickpea pancakes with avocado and fresh herbs, rye bread with tomatoes and hummus, seeded toast topped with almond butter. A smoothie is another great way to improve your plant intake. A favourite of mine is avocado, spinach, oat milk, filtered water, half a banana and a pinch of cinnamon.
2. Lunch is a time to pile your plate with energising food that will sustain you until dinner. One great way to up your diversity is to combine two meals, go for a salad and a dal or a vegetable soup and a sandwich filled with veggies. Plus the more sides you add the better. Carrots with hummus as a little starter and some cut fruit with yogurt as a pudding - it's the perfect excuse for a three course lunch every day!
3. At dinner time, especially during the week, we're often looking for something fast and easy. Enter one-pot-cooking or tray-bakes - the easiest way to get variety into your diet without having to do much in the kitchen. Load a lined baking tray with onions, garlic, new potatoes, three other vegetables (I like the combo of cherry tomatoes, squash and celeriac), then add in a beans or chickpeas and some herbs and spices. Drizzle with olive oil or serve with a homemade dressing (another great way to get plant varieties into your diet, think basil and spinach pesto made with nuts and seeds).
4. Snacking is another perfect opportunity to up your plant variety, whether it's a handful of nuts, some roasted chickpeas, butterbeans tossed in pesto, crudités with a bean based dip or simply some leftover roasted veggies from last night's dinner. Trying to be more adventurous with your snacking and moving away from convenience based snacks will undoubtedly be more nutritionally beneficial.
5. Shopping right is really the key to you eating right, because - without stating the obvious - if you don't buy it, you most likely won't eat it! We are all different and likely to shop differently but actually, shopping at a variety of places will help with eating different varieties of food. Going to your supermarket for your essentials and then heading to your local veg shop for your fruit and veg, then maybe searching for some interesting new items at a local international store or organic store for a few special items will help fill your cupboards, fridge and tummy with variety! Aim for colour when you shop for extra polyphenols and extra benefits.
6. Check out our bank of recipes for plant-rich inspo!

On some days/weeks, it may be less easy than normal to plan, shop and prep to maintain a plant-rich diet. We hear you. Which is where we can step in with our varied plant-rich meal plans. We home cook delicious, fresh and perfectly balanced dishes, with your gut in mind, and deliver them to your door. For your New Year reset, look no further than our Ultimate Reset, offering 20 days of perfect, plant-rich nutrition AND luxury wellbeing gifts at no extra cost to support your all-round wellbeing. Follow it up with our Fridge Fills to maintain your delicious, convenient, plant-rich diet at times you need it most.