A growing trend not only in the United States, but also worldwide, is that more and more people are going to a primarily vegetable diet as opposed to a diet based around meat and starches. There are many reasons why vegetables are becoming more and more popular. If you’re thinking of starting to go vegetarian or starting a diet program that restricts you to vegetables for a few weeks, we’ve got some tips for you to use so that you’re not crying at the store when it comes time to grocery shop.
When to Buy Vegetables
A fact that many people often forget is that certain vegetables don’t grow year round. The tomatoes purchased from your local grocery store for instance do not grow year round naturally and are instead grown in factories and controlled conditions to keep up with the demand for tomatoes throughout the year. If you’re looking to start a healthy vegetable diet, it’s important to realize that certain fruits and vegetables aren’t available all year and that you’ll have to make some sacrifices on what you can eat all year for the best taste. While you won’t die from eating a tomato that’s been grown out of season, you certainly won’t be getting the optimal nutrition you need from it that you’d otherwise get if you were to eat it when it grows naturally.
If you would like to learn what vegetables and fruits are in season and out of season at any given time, this handy link should help you out. – Click Here
Store Shopping
When buying fresh vegetables, there are probably a plethora of grocery store chains in your area that can cater to all of your vegetable needs. If you make your way to a chain store such as Walmart, not only will the vegetables you find inside the store be grown unnaturally, they’re likely to not be the freshest or best value for your money in town. Big retailers often pay premiums to have things like tomatoes available to them year round and to have the same vegetables on their shelves on a daily basis.
If there is a local grocer in your town that’s locally owned and operated, chances are you can get much better deals on produce there than in big-box retailers. The reason for this is because vegetables are grown on-site or nearby, thus completely eliminating the cost of shipping and handling. That reduction in cost is reflected in the price of the produce available at these retailers.
One thing to be wary of is the cost of other items at local stores. In order to still gain a profit, things like cereals and bread should still be purchased either online or at a mainstream retailer instead of at the local grocer. Smaller grocery stores sell their products at MSRP so that they can make up for the low cost of their produce and still afford to hire staff and turn a profit. Traditional stores like Walmart are able to sell below MSRP because they sell in such volume that the discount actually benefits them.
Canned Vegetables
If in your vegetable diet you find it tough to prepare all of the vegetables you’re purchasing, hope is not lost. Canned vegetables can be a lifesaver for on the go moms that can’t afford to stop and make a meal every night. Vegetables that come canned are often already cooked and prepared, meaning all you have to do is heat them up either in a pot on the stove or in a microwave.
One of the best brands of canned vegetables you can buy is called Libby’s. Their products are readily available on Amazon, and for just a few dollars for a dozen or so cans, you can stock up on your canned vegetable supply easily and affordably.
Libby’s Canned Corn:
One such example of a Libby’s product is their canned corn. All of the corn is grown and packaged in the USA and comes unsalted. Companies have become accustomed to adding things like salt and sugar to their canned vegetables to make them tastier and more appealing to customers. Libby’s avoids adding salt to their corn to keep it as natural as possible. Best of all, all you need to do is heat the contents of the can on a stove top for a minute or two on a medium heat and you’re ready to eat. For anyone looking at going vegetarian, this is a great way to get veggies into your diet without worrying about preparing and cooking a huge meal every night.
Vegetable Cook Book
As mentioned in another article I wrote, part of the problem a lot of folks run into when they start eating a vegetable diet is that they don’t have enough ideas to fill their plate for an entire week. If you’re completely stumped on what you should cook, I can’t recommend this book highly enough. I’ve been using it in my own kitchen for almost 5 months now and everything I’ve made from it has been nothing short of delicious. If you’re just getting into cooking vegetarian, this is the book to get.