If veggies aren’t your favorite food already, National Eat Your Vegetables Day on June 17 is a great time to give them a try. After all, vegetables are very healthy. If you can manage a little experimentation in the kitchen, you can discover how many delicious recipes there are for them. So whether you’re digging into your favorite salad or trying kale for the first time, today is all about finishing the most colorful things on your plate.
National Eat Your Vegetables Day timeline
The animated series “Popeye, the Sailor Man” debuts on television, advocating for the consumption of leafy vegetables like spinach.
In an episode of “The Powerpuff Girls,” the girls are reluctant to eat broccoli, which has dire consequences.
According to a study done by the American Journal of Public Health, increased consumption of fruit and vegetables is crucial for a better quality of life.
8% of the world population is vegetarian.
National Eat Your Vegetables Day Activities
Go out to a vegetarian restaurant
If you’re not a vegetarian, chances are you don’t often visit vegetarian restaurants. But National Eat Your Vegetables Day is definitely the day to try something new involving vegetables. Vegetarian restaurants specialize in making vegetable the main component of the dish, and you’ll be surprised at how filling they can be.
Cook some vegetables
There are more varieties of vegetables available today than ever before in history, so there are probably ones out there that you have never tried. Take a moment to search for some of the more unusual vegetables like taro, jackfruit, and yucca. Make sure you find a recipe that shows you how to prepare the vegetables step-by-step, as well as how to cook the dish. You might just find your new favorite food.
Get in your five
They used to say “an apple a day keeps the doctor away." However, doctors have had to revise that saying to “five a day.” Challenge yourself to get your five full servings of veggies today. You can have a veggie scramble for breakfast, a salad for lunch, and roasted veggies for dinner. For dessert don’t forget the carrot cake (it totally counts).
Why We Love National Eat Your Vegetables Day
Healthy
Vegetables are probably the healthiest things you can eat. They say that as a rule of thumb, the more colorful your meal is, the healthier it is, so add red peppers, beets, or rainbow chard to your meals.
Side dish or entree
No meal is complete without vegetables, and some meals are complete with only vegetables! Soups, salads, and vegetarian curries are all examples of meals that don’t need anything but vegetables to shine. That said, some of our favorite meaty meals are made even better with veggies. What’s a veggie burger without lettuce and tomato, or life itself without coleslaw?
Good for farmers
Find out which vegetables are in season in your area and support your local farmers by buying from them. If you shop seasonally you will always be eating the tastiest vegetables, as they are at their ripest when you cook them. Buying local produce can also help lower the carbon footprint of your food, making it better for the environment as well.
National Eat Your Vegetables Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | June 17 | Tuesday |
| 2026 | June 17 | Wednesday |
| 2027 | June 17 | Thursday |
| 2028 | June 17 | Saturday |
| 2029 | June 17 | Sunday |
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