Challenge
7-day vegetable routine
Practice adding vegetables you can afford and already know how to wash. Variety matters more than a perfect plate.
Start when you want. The days stay in this browser tab until you close it.
A missed day can be followed by the next small step. NIH describes setbacks as part of changing a habit. Nothing here is a score, and your worth does not depend on a streak.
Day 1: Add one vegetable you like
Add one vegetable you already eat to a meal you already make. The Dietary Guidelines fact sheet says small changes count and that culture and taste can guide the choice.
When. One meal.
An easier option. Add a few bites, not a full extra serving.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Build a Healthy Eating Routine Updated 2021-03-26. Checked 2026-11-03.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Selecting and Serving Produce Safely No update date was listed. Checked 2026-11-03.
- National Institutes of Health, NIH News in Health: Creating Healthy Habits Updated 2018-03. Checked 2026-11-03.
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Day 2: Use what is practical
Choose a fresh, frozen, or canned vegetable. The same fact sheet says fresh, frozen, and canned options all count, and in-season produce can cost less.
When. At the shop, or from what is already home.
An easier option. Use a vegetable you already have, even if it is not a new kind.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Build a Healthy Eating Routine Updated 2021-03-26. Checked 2026-11-03.
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Day 3: Wash before you eat or cook
Rinse the produce under running water. FDA says not to use soap, detergent, or a commercial produce wash. Scrub firm items such as cucumbers with a clean brush, then dry with a clean towel.
When. Before you cut or eat it.
An easier option. Buy a pre-washed package and still follow the package directions.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Selecting and Serving Produce Safely No update date was listed. Checked 2026-11-03.
This day opens on its calendar day.
Day 4: Make it easy to see
Put the vegetable where you will see it before the meal. NIH describes making the healthier choice the easy choice.
When. Before the meal you chose.
An easier option. Write the vegetable on a note you will see.
- National Institutes of Health, NIH News in Health: Creating Healthy Habits Updated 2018-03. Checked 2026-11-03.
This day opens on its calendar day.
Day 5: Add a second color
If you can, add a different vegetable color to the one you used. The fact sheet describes several vegetable groups, including dark green and red or orange vegetables.
When. One meal.
An easier option. Repeat yesterday’s vegetable. Repeating is still practice.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Build a Healthy Eating Routine Updated 2021-03-26. Checked 2026-11-03.
This day opens on its calendar day.
Day 6: Prepare a little ahead
Wash and cut, or open and heat, enough for one extra meal. The fact sheet suggests preparing vegetables ahead when the week is busy.
When. A time you choose.
An easier option. Keep the vegetable whole until you are ready to eat.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Build a Healthy Eating Routine Updated 2021-03-26. Checked 2026-11-03.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Selecting and Serving Produce Safely No update date was listed. Checked 2026-11-03.
This day opens on its calendar day.
Day 7: Choose what to repeat
Write one vegetable step you would do again. NIH suggests tracking what you tried and treating a slip as part of the process.
When. This evening.
An easier option. Say it out loud instead of writing.
- National Institutes of Health, NIH News in Health: Creating Healthy Habits Updated 2018-03. Checked 2026-11-03.
This day opens on its calendar day.
Established public guidance. The daily actions point at the public pages linked on each day. Encouragement to continue after a miss comes from NIH’s habit guidance. It is not a promise of a health result.
- National Institutes of Health, NIH News in Health: Creating Healthy Habits Updated 2018-03. Checked 2026-11-03.