So much food advice begins with taking something away. Cut this out. Give that up. Start over on Monday with a whole new way of eating. No wonder so many of us feel tired before we’ve even begun.
This idea goes the other way. Keep the meals you love. Keep the pot of stew, the Sunday braai, the quick toast on a busy morning. Just add one more vegetable.
That’s all. No list of superfoods, no shopping for things you can’t pronounce, no plan to follow. One extra on a plate you already eat.
Why adding works better than taking away
When life is changing, and for many of us it always is, our energy for big projects runs low. A new diet asks you to rebuild your whole kitchen at the very moment you’re already stretched.
Adding is gentler. It doesn’t ask you to give up comfort. It simply invites a little more colour, a little more crunch, a little more goodness alongside what’s already there. And because it’s small, it’s far more likely to stay with you.
There’s something quietly hopeful about it, too. Each time you add something good, you’re telling yourself you’re worth looking after, even on an ordinary Friday.
Easy ways to add one more
Choose one meal this week. Here are a few ideas to start with:
Into the pot. A handful of frozen peas or spinach stirred into soup, stew or curry in the last few minutes.
Beside the eggs. A sliced tomato, a few mushrooms in the pan, or some leftover roast veg warmed up.
Hidden in the mince. Grated carrot or courgette disappears into bolognaise, and even fussy eaters rarely notice.
Next to the braai. A simple bowl of mixed leaves, a cucumber salad, or butternut roasted in the coals.
On the run. A few cherry tomatoes or carrot sticks in a container to go with lunch.
Frozen and tinned vegetables count. So does the cabbage from the corner shop. The best vegetable is simply the one you’ll actually enjoy eating.
Let it fit your life
If money is tight this month, go for whatever is cheapest and in season. Carrots, cabbage, onions and frozen mixed veg go a long way. If a week gets away from you and the plates look the same as always, that’s all right too. There’s no streak to break.
If you already follow a special eating plan for your kidneys, a medicine or a health condition, keep to it and let this idea fit gently around it. A few vegetables don’t sit well alongside certain medicines, so go slowly with anything new.
And if thinking about food ever starts to feel stressful or heavy, set this idea down for now. Eating should feel nourishing, not like another test.
How little is enough
One extra vegetable, at one meal, is a lovely beginning. Next week you might add it to another meal, or try a vegetable you haven’t had in a while. Or you might simply keep doing the one thing. That’s more than enough.
Be kind to yourself as you go. Small changes made gently tend to last much longer than big changes made in a hurry.
You’ll find more simple, everyday food ideas under Food.
Pick one vegetable for tonight. That’s a beautiful place to start.