American dinner plates were traditionally dominated by meat, with vegetables being secondary supporting players. The balance of power is changing as homegrown, fresh vegetables take the center stage.
Recent “food trend”Research shows that more people are choosing vegetables as the main course in their meals. While everyone is interested in healthy eating, it seems that millennials are driving this healthy food trend. According to the NPD Group, people under 40 eat 52 percent more fresh vegetables than they did 10 years ago. And this trend will likely continue as they age.
This trend is being supported by professional chefs, bloggers and restaurants as well as home cooks who embrace the many flavors of diverse vegetables. The most popular episodes “Iron Chef”Television shows feature vegetable-centric dishes. A recent article in New York magazine highlighted this fact. “Simply put, the once-meat-obsessed populace is realizing that vegetables actually taste good. Especially when fresh, in season, and carefully prepared.”
Many restaurants now serve vegetable-based meals. This has inspired many home cooks to discover the delicious and healthy benefits of fresh vegetables as a main dish.
There are many reasons vegetables have become more popular than meat.
– Great taste, vine-ripened. Homegrown vegetables have a distinct flavor advantage. They stay on the vine for full ripening and are harvested before you eat them. So they don’t spoil on their journey to the grocery store, store bought vegetables are often harvested before the fruit is fully ripe. Once the sugars are taken from the vine, they turn into starch and homegrown sweetness is lost.
Good health. It’s well-known that vegetables are good to eat, but there is evidence. A study of more than 130,000 people published in the Journal of American Medical Association Internal Medicine found that plant protein intake is associated with a longer life expectancy than animal protein.
Good stewardship. Eating more vegetables and less meat can make a difference in the environment. According to data from Oxford University, eating more vegetables can have a greater effect on your carbon footprint than giving up your car.
Vegetables are gaining popularity, pushing meat to the side. More people want to eat vegetables more often, and they also prefer local vegetables. Growing vegetables at your home is easy, convenient, satisfying, economical, and a great way to save money on produce. They’ll also taste better!
Professional growers make it simple to grow delicious and nutritious vegetables at home, which is a great thing for home gardeners. Bonnie PlantsThe greenhouse grower,, offers more than 250 varieties in vegetable, herb and fruit plants. These range from old favorites to new and unique options. For your vegetable main course, hearty tomatoes and peppers, as well as eggplant and zucchini, are easy to grow.
Bonnie Plants is active in more than 70 greenhouse facilities in 48 statesThe plants are transported from greenhouses to retail locations near you. They can be planted immediately after purchase and harvested six weeks earlier than if they were grown from seeds. The plants can be picked up from retailers within a short distance. You don’t have to worry about space limitations – patio-ready combo pots and caged varieties are great choices for those with limited outdoor space.
If you are interested in healthy eating, home gardeners can experiment with vegetables to replace meat. Try substituting squash for meat to make burgers more interesting. Like their meat-based counterparts Veggie Burgers can be prepared ahead and frozen in patties. They can then be pulled out to be reheated as a healthy option for a quick burger on busy nights. For a refreshing, fresh take on salad, try substituting Swiss chard in place of the usual suspects like lettuce, spinach and arugula.
Season your homegrown vegetables. Bonnie Plants also has herb plants. You can quickly get fresh seasoning done by just a quick visit to your pot or garden plot.
Bonnieplants.com provides information about the varieties as well as helpful tips for growing, troubleshooting and harvesting. delicious recipesTry it!
