Stuck in a food rut? Try something new
It’s easy to keep returning to the same familiar meals time and time again, but changing up your menu is great for your health. Learn more here.
Christina Stiehl,
Managing Editor
Pamela Nisevich Bede, MS, RD, CSSD, LD,
Medical Affairs
Published:
April 28, 2025
Read time:
2 minutes
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut with your meals. We find something we like and we stick with it, leaving most of us to repeat the same meals and snacks again and again. Even when we’re presented with a mountain of fresh green vegetables, we still reach for our old favorites. We’re creatures of habit.
Variety is key to a healthy, balanced diet. No single vegetable can give you all the vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals your body needs. So, try out green vegetables you wouldn’t normally choose.
All green vegetables supply us with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. They are also high in fiber, which can help prevent glucose spikes. 1 Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts also contain a phytochemical compound called sulforaphane, which studies show may help protect against certain types of cancers. 2
Experiment with the leaves you put in your salads. Watercress and spinach are nutrient-dense choices, rich in vitamin C and the B vitamin folate.
Why not get around to trying kale? It’s a good source of calcium and iron. You can add it to salads, curries, and smoothies. You can even bake kale chips.
Kale chips: Rinse kale and remove the thick stems. Cut leaves into bite-sized pieces then wash and thoroughly dry the kale. Drizzle with olive oil (you can massage the oil into the leaves), sea salt, and some of your favorite spices (chili, paprika, etc.). Spread out on a baking sheet without the leaves touching one another and bake at 300°F for 20–30 minutes.
A final note from Lingo
Trying new vegetables out is a great way to increase the range of vitamins, minerals, and plant chemicals in your diet. Even switching one type of leafy veggie for a new one in your usual salad will provide you with different nutrients. And who knows, you may discover a new favorite.
A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) like Lingo can help you track how any new vegetables might affect your glucose. These devices provide glucose data that can help you learn which vegetables might work to keep your glucose steady.
The Lingo Glucose System is intended for users 18 years and older not on insulin. It is NOT intended for diagnosis of diseases, including diabetes.
The Lingo program does not guarantee that everyone will achieve the same results as individual responses may vary. Consult your healthcare professional before making changes to your diet or exercise regimen or if you have an eating disorder or a history of eating disorders.
© 2025 Abbott. All rights reserved. The biosensor housing, Lingo, and related marks are marks of the Abbott group of companies. Other marks are the property of their respective owners.
ALB-02490