Carrots, beans, broccoli?

According to a recent OnePoll survey conducted with 1,000 millennial parents of school-aged children on behalf of Veggies Made Great, the majority of parents know how many cups of vegetables they need each day (63% said they should get two to three cups of vegetables a day), yet in reality, they admit to getting half of this – only one to two cups per day. The good news is that 88% are interested in increasing the number of veggies in their diet, according to a news release.

Among the top barriers to getting more vegetables in their family’s diet was the taste of certain vegetables (49%), followed by forgetting they were in the refrigerator (42%).

While the cost of vegetables was not as significant a factor in adding more vegetables to their diet, spoilage was. 64% said that one to three of the fresh vegetables they buy weekly go bad before they use them. Purchase frozen vegetables would eliminate this issue, however, 67% of those polled believe that freezing decreases the number of vitamins and minerals in vegetables, and 46% believe frozen vegetables contain preservatives.

“When picked fresh and eaten right away, fresh vegetables are at their highest nutritional quality. However, some store-bought fresh veggies lose valuable nutrients, such as vitamin C, the longer they sit,” said Karen Buch, RDN, LDN, a consultant for Veggies Made Great in the news release. “In addition, nutrient loss is amplified if proper temperatures are not maintained throughout the food supply chain from farm to fork. After harvest, fresh veggies travel from the farm to a distribution center, followed by transport to the grocery store, plus time on display and storage time in the home kitchen before being eaten.”

“What most people don’t realize is that frozen vegetables are picked at the peak of ripeness and frozen within the same day, locking in their nutritional value. No preservatives are added in the freezing process. Numerous studies show that frozen vegetables are equally as nutritious as fresh, and in some instances may retain more nutrients than fresh.”

Parents said some strategies they have used to get more veggies in their family’s diet include sticking with common veggies such as carrots (53%), while others add spices (48%), hiding them in dishes (45%), or grate or cut them into small pieces (43%). Half of the respondents said they would eat more veggies if they tasted better.

“Veggies Made Great products are designed to do just that – to take veggies from good to great,” said Elliot Huss, CEO of Veggies Made Great in the news release. “Our line of frittatas and muffins are all made with real veggies as the first ingredient, but instead of tasting vegetables, you just taste the deliciousness.”

More than one-third of respondents struggle with how to prepare veggies in new and interesting ways.  When asked how they would prefer to add more veggies to their diet, 60% said they would like bite-sized snacks.

Earlier this year, Veggies Made Great launched a line of Stuffed Cauliflower Bites made with a blend of veggies in the crust including cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, and spinach, plus alternative flours like chickpea and rice, that make a great alternative to pizza rolls as a snack or appetizer. The stuffed bites are available in four flavors including Margherita, Mushroom & Swiss with Caramelized Onion, Roasted Vegetable & 4 Cheese, and Spinach and Ricotta. In addition to veggies being the first ingredient, the stuffed bites are gluten-free and a good source of protein.

“What is encouraging is that parents are aware of the importance of getting more vegetables in their family’s diet, but tasting and eating the same vegetables over and over again seem to be the biggest hurdle,” said Yehuda Pearl, chairman of Veggies Made Great added in the news release. “That’s why we created Veggies Made Great to be a deliciously easy and convenient way to add more veggies. It is food people are happy to eat. Double Chocolate Muffin, anyone?”

Determined to make vegetables more accessible, Veggies Made Great offers a delicious portfolio of Muffins, Frittatas, Veggie Cakes, and Stuffed Cauliflower Bites – all made with clean ingredients in convenient, handheld formats to fit consumers’ busy lifestyles. To learn more about Veggies Made Great and to find a retailer near you, visit www.veggiesmadegreat.com.

Source: Veggies Made Great