Winter meals often become heavier, but nutrition experts say adding vegetables to familiar dishes can help maintain a balanced diet.
As temperatures drop, breakfasts often become toast instead of tomatoes, lunches lean towards bread and soup, and hearty dinners replace lighter meals. It is a natural response to winter, but one that can push vegetables further down the shopping list.
During colder months, many South Africans gravitate towards warm, comforting meals, with bread, pasta and other carbohydrate-rich favourites becoming easier choices. The issue is not comfort food itself, but what gets left off the plate.
Nutrition experts say the answer is not to abandon winter favourites, but to find simple ways to include vegetables in the meals people are already preparing. Quick-cooking vegetables can be added to soups, stews, curries and other family meals without requiring extra preparation or a separate side dish.
The nutritional data highlights why this matters. According to South Africa’s National Nutrition Week, adults consume an average of around 230g of fruit and vegetables daily — about 58% of the internationally recommended 400g intake. While this is a year-round concern, winter habits can make it even easier for vegetables to be overlooked.
