When developing and maintaining healthy habits, finding a comfortable daily routine is essential! Regrettably, a routine diet can quickly become monotonous.

In the spirit of celebrating the last week of National Fruit and Vegetable Month, I would like to discuss boring fruit and vegetable routines. The fact is fruits and vegetables are key to making healthy happen! They are rich in fiber, antioxidants, as well as essential vitamins and minerals; so why shouldn’t they also be fun?

The easiest way to jazz up your fruit and vegetable routine is to add herbs and spices. Roasted vegetables pair well with any combination of basil, sage, thyme, oregano, rosemary, garlic, and pepper! Spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg, can add a pleasant burst of flavor to your favorite root vegetables, including sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, etc. Herbs and spices add delicious anti-inflammatory health benefits to your meal, and are a great way to add flavor without adding salt.

Another easy way to brighten up your meals is to try a variety of fruits and vegetables. Break out of your banana and green bean cycle! Diversifying your fruit and vegetable choices can guarantee you are eating ALL the vitamins and minerals our bodies need to stay healthy. Keep in mind that the brain requires 15 exposures to a new food before it decides whether or not to like it. So if you don’t like something the first time, don’t give up!

Soup is a delicious way to pack in a variety of fruits and vegetables. Even though it is summer, and not always the time we think of soup for dinner, I’d like to share with you my Best Ever Vegetable Soup recipe. It is loaded with extra veggies I picked from the garden, and the flavor combination of herbs and spices makes this my all time favorite vegetable soup. I hope you will love it too!