October 1st is World Vegetarian Day, and kicks off a full month of vegetarian awareness around the globe. Unlike all those other questionable food holidays that seem to come out of nowhere (apparently, my birthday falls on National Shrimp Scampi Day), this one has been going strong since 1977 and aims to bring awareness to the benefits of eating more vegetables and less meat.

No matter where you identify yourself on the food tribe scale, incorporating a little more veggie appreciation into your life is never a bad thing. Vegetables are nature’s multivitamins, giving us the essentials we need to maximize the life in our years.

So why not try these suggestions in honor of this special day?

Go Veg for a Day
Vegetarians and vegans get a free pass on this, but if you normally eat animal products regularly, why not challenge yourself to eat all plant-based foods for one day? If anything, you’ll learn some creative ways to prepare vegetables that just might make it into your regular repertoire. If you’re concerned about your protein intake, check out these non-meat sources.

Make it a Weekly Thing
Whether it’s every week or just this month, why not take your vegetable loving to the next level by doing a Meatless Monday (or any day you choose) every week? Learn more, including yummy recipe ideas here.

Taste a Rainbow
Challenge yourself to make one meal today as colorful as you possibly can. The more colorful the veggies on your plate, the more variety of nutrients you’re going to get in one go. Its fun for the kids too!

Need ideas?

• Red: beets, tomatoes, red peppers
• Green: spinach, edamame, broccoli, asparagus
• Yellow: yellow peppers, squash, corn
• Orange: carrots, orange peppers
• White: cauliflower, turnips, jicama
• Purple: purple kale, purple carrots, purple cabbage

You might also like to try a couple of my absolute favorite rainbow recipes: Rad Rainbow Raw Pad Thai and Couscous Confetti Salad.

Have a Veggie Potluck
Share your vegetable love with friends! Invite them over for dinner and ask them to bring a vegetarian dish to share. Make it interesting by trying different cuisines from around the globe. Some are very vegetarian-friendly, like Indian, for example.

Visit a Vegetarian Restaurant
Don’t feel like cooking? There’s bound to be a vegetarian or at least veggie-friendly restaurant in your area. Happy Cow has a comprehensive listing of vegetarian restaurants and stores by state. Check it out here.

Stock Your Kitchen With Quick Vegetarian Meals
Eating your veggies is especially convenient when you have quick, wholesome options on hand, like our vegan Steel-Cut Oatmeal or Organic Apple Coconut Curry Burrito or our vegetarian Kale Ricotta Ravioli, Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Enchiladas, or Organic Cajun Style Brown Rice & Bean Burrito.

Happy World Vegetarian Day!