1. Carrots

The great thing about carrots is that they can be eaten cooked or raw. You can do so much with them! Have carrots with low-fat ranch at lunchtime. Or roast them with honey for a tasty side dish that works well with chicken and fish. You can toss diced carrots into salad or boil them with potatoes for a colorful dish or mashed potatoes. Carrots are also awesome in vegetable soup.

2. Squash

I love squash, don’t you? Squash comes in many varieties and is the ultimate side dish for any meal. I love fried yellow squash with ranch dressing as an appetizer or spaghetti squash with butter and garlic alongside a salmon filet. Acorn squash makes a wonderful soup and baked squash is an easy and tasty thing to eat just about any time you want to.

3. Sweet Potatoes

Potatoes are one of my favorite foods, but sweet potatoes rank right up there too. These orange tubers can be used in loads of ways. The easiest thing to do is to bake one and serve it with a bit of butter and some cinnamon and sugar. You can also dice sweet potatoes and roast them for breakfast topped with an egg. Sweet potatoes also make a yummy addition to soup, stew and chili.

4. Tomato Juice

Even if you only drink it as a Bloody Mary, you’re still getting the benefits. Tomato juice is really high in carotenoids and is a flavorful way to enjoy veggies if you have trouble eating enough of them. Use it to make gazpacho or simply have a cold glass of tomato juice when you relax at night.

5. Pumpkin

You can definitely eat pumpkin! They aren’t just for carving into jack-o-lanterns anymore. You can roast a pumpkin as a side dish. You can also puree pumpkin and use it to stuff ravioli. Of course a slab of pumpkin pie is pretty good too, though it is pretty full of sugar and fat.

6. Spinach

Spinach is another veggie that can be eaten raw or cooked. It is heavenly in a sandwich or tossed into a salad. You can also sauté it with garlic and serve it with fish. Spinach makes a great addition to veggie soup and pasta sauce too. No matter how you eat it, the carotenoids it contains are sure to make you feel and look your best.

7. Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe is one of my favorite fruits! It’s so great on its own, so you don’t even have to do much prep to get all the benefits. You can also use cantaloupe to make an outstanding fruit salad or smoothie. It will never be sweeter to get your carotenoids than it is when you eat a cantaloupe.

Which food here is your favorite? Will you try any of the others?