We all know the importance of eating our vegetables. When I was growing up, it was a fact engrained into my mind by my mom. She almost always made sure that there was a side of vegetables with every meal that she cooked, and if any of us kids revolted, she’d lecture us on how these vegetables were so good for us, even though they might not taste the best. Now that my three brothers and I are older, we understand the reason why veggies are so good for us, and some of us even enjoy them! A recent study is proving this point even more.

According to a recent survey, conducted by OnePoll, that looked at the vegetable eating habits of millennial parents, 85% of parents are interested in increasing the amount of vegetables that their families eat because they realize the need for them.

This might be very good news for produce growers in California and Yuma, Arizona where most of our leafy greens come from and are then supplied to all of the United States and Canada. Of course, most know that Yuma’s production occurs in the winter, hence the well-known phrase, “The Winter Bowl Capital of the Nation.” Millennials want more vegetables and if we continue to have available water and labor, we’ll produce them.

Yuma, Arizona is to the produce industry what Silicon Valley has been to the High-Tech industry. According to our Yuma farmers, Yuma has ideal conditions for the following:

  • Good Water
  • Good Soil
  • Good Climate
  • Good Labor Supply
  • Good Infrastructure

These ideal conditions cannot be replicated just anywhere in the country. Certainly, controlled agriculture (think greenhouse environments) will and can continue to grow to allow us to grow vegetables year around, but the capital investment to scale to California and Arizona’s production size isn’t going to be easy to pencil out. We need all agriculture and certainly need Yuma, Arizona agriculture. And, with 300 million daily servings of leafy greens in California and the United States, we continue to require lots of produce farming.

 

Back to the Survey

Also, of those surveyed, 50% said that they would eat more vegetables if they tasted better. While it is true that not all vegetables are necessarily great tasting, many of them can be made to be quite delicious if prepared right! So, here are some recipes that turn healthy veggies into delicious meals!

Arizona agriculture will continue to grow a bunch of different vegetables year-round! So, luckily for us, it’s easy to get fresh, locally grown veggies to use in recipes! Next time you’re out grocery shopping, look for Arizona-grown produce at the store or farmer’s market!

For more healthy recipes, Arizona-grown produce facts, or more health-related articles, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!