Most of us spend our childhood hearing “eat your veggies!” You may grow up hating vegetables or enjoy them, but you can’t deny that they’ll never be as satisfying or appetizing as a slice of pizza or a choco-chip cookie. But you also can’t deny the importance of eating more vegetables regularly, as they promote healthy aging as you grow older. Now, you don’t have to depend on boring salads to stick to your New Year’s resolution. Here are a few clever hacks for you to up your veggie intake.

Dumping Undressed Coleslaw While Cooking Dishes

It may sound weird, but this is a real game-changing hack. We often skip adding more veggies to our dishes to avoid the effort, hassle, and time of cutting different veggies uniformly. A store-bought bag of coleslaw can be your perfect rescue here. As you’ll get a variety of chopped vegetables without any added dressing, you’ll be able to add them to any dish in any form you want. Sauté them alongside your onions, celery, and carrots before adding the broth to make a soup, stir fry them with rice, or add them to your salad with the dressing of your choice. A satisfying crunch, mild flavor, and an extra punch of nutrition, all sorted!

Chopping and Bagging Veggies as Pre-Made Snacks

Changing old habits needs enough of a boost of convenience. Every time you reach over the stale bread roll or pretzel sticks in your pantry, over anything fresh and balanced, you just think about instantly satiating your hunger. So next time, just after the grocery shopping, wash, chop, and bag up a portion of your freshly-bought veggies to use as snacks afterward. That way, you’ll have slices of fresh cucumbers or carrots ready at hand to dip in your hummus and munch on, whenever you feel starving and in the mood to forage the kitchen for a snack.

Cooking Pasta in Veggies

We all have pasta recipes in store that need veggies to be added, and that’s a better habit of following instead of gobbling up just meat-based pasta dishes. But, here we’re talking about cooking your pasta not only with veggies but also in veggies. And we don’t mean vegetable stock only! Liquefy nutrient-packed veggies and greens using a good blender, keep the consistency as brothy or soupy as you want, and cook your pasta in that liquid. Add a boiled or poached egg and some grated cheese for a touch of extra fat and protein.

In a world that is gradually recovering from a pandemic, more and more travelers are looking into safer means of travel. One of the best ways to experience the thrill of traveling is going on a road trip. This summer, however, you will not be alone on your quest to find the perfect, safe, travel experience, so you need to plan your trip in advance. Here are the basics you need to consider.

How to Organize a Safe Summer Road Trip

Just Say ‘No’

While it can be difficult to skip everyone’s favorite travel staples like hotel lobby breakfasts, buffets, fairs, and festivals, it’s really important that you choose less crowded places and activities. After all, if you go on a road trip with the right company, who cares who else is around? Gather around a campfire, grab a blanket, and enjoy the company of your loved ones. It’s that simple.

Research Is a Must

Check whether the attractions, parks, and trails you are planning to visit are open before you get on the road. Some states have year-long programs that encourage travelers to hit the road instead of the airport. For example, the Arizona Office of Tourism currently has its “Year of the Road Trip” program, so it’s worth checking out what it covers.

Safety First

As much as we all want to throw away our masks, it’s best to still bring plenty with you wherever you go. Keep a safe distance while waiting in line, and use hand sanitizer frequently.

Being Flexible Is Key in 2021

Experts advise travelers, not to over plan and try to fit too many activities in their itineraries. Plan for unexpected stops and closed places, keep an open eye for last-minute detours and accept that things don’t always go according to plan. Of course, to have the best summer road trip possible, you still need some sort of a plan. If you are traveling with kids, it’s crucial that you have your main destinations and route all set and researched. Bon voyage!