November Living Well Challenge
Savor the Moment
Discover more to enjoy in everyday life.
We can move through a whole day filled with enjoyable moments and barely remember them by evening. A good conversation, sunlight across the kitchen table, or the satisfaction of finishing something we’ve been putting off—each one can slip past while we’re already thinking about what comes next.
This November, the Living Well Challenge is an invitation to give those moments a little more attention. We’re not trying to create a month filled with extraordinary experiences or convince ourselves that every day is wonderful. We’re simply going to experience what happens with we notice more of what we enjoy and take the time to savor it.
Why Savoring Matters
Plant foods bring a wide range of nutrients to the table, including fiber, vitamins, minerals, and naturally occurring compounds that help support health as we age. Eating a greater variety of vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and herbs can also help nourish the gut microbiome, support heart and metabolic health, and add more color, texture, and flavor to everyday meals.
The benefit does not come from one “perfect” food or from eating plants exclusively. It comes from variety and from making plant foods a more regular part of the way you eat.
For some people, that might mean adding beans to a soup, serving an extra vegetable at dinner, or choosing a whole grain instead of a refined one. For others, it may mean experimenting with a meal where vegetables, grains, or legumes take the lead rather than automatically starting with meat.
The point of this month’s challenge is simply to notice where there may be room for more plants and to explore what feels enjoyable, satisfying, and realistic enough to continue.
Make the Challenge Your Own
There is no single way to put more plants on the plate. The challenge is simply to notice where plant foods could play a bigger role and then experiment with a few changes that feel realistic for you.
You might begin by adding one more vegetable to a meal you already make, or by choosing one meal this week where vegetables, beans, or whole grains play a bigger role.
You do not need to change every meal, count servings, or follow a specific target. Start where you are, choose one or two ideas that sound appealing, and see what fits naturally into your routine.
The most useful version of this challenge is the one you are actually willing to try.
If you would like more ideas, download the Put More Plants on the Plate guide. It is a simple one-page list of ways to add more vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and herbs throughout the day. Print it, put it on the refrigerator, and use it whenever you need a little inspiration.
Related Resources
Looking for a little more support with this month’s challenge? These articles and recipes offer practical ideas for understanding why plant foods matter and simple ways to bring more of them into every day meals.
Fiber: The Fourth Macronutrient?
Learn why fiber matters for digestion, heart health, blood sugar, and healthy aging, along with practical ways to eat more fiber-rich foods.
Make Your Own Buddha Bowl
Build a colorful, satisfying meal with vegetables, whole grains, beans or other proteins, and flavorful toppings using what you already have on hand.
Eating Well Doesn’t Have to be Expensive, Part 2
Discover how frozen produce, canned beans, whole grains, and other convenient staples can make healthy eating easier, faster, and more affordable.
Chicken Farro Alfredo Casserole
Chicken, farro, and vegetables come together in a creamy, comforting casserole that shows how whole grains and plant foods can fit naturally into familiar meals.
Lentils: Going Beyond the Soup Bowl
Explore simple ways to use lentils in salads, bowls, sides, and everyday meals while adding plant protein, fiber, and variety to you plate.
Apple Pie Overnight Oats
Apples, oats, and warming spices turn a familiar breakfast into an easy way to add fruit, nuts, and whole grains at the start of the day.
Looking for more inspiration? Browse the blog and the restore section for more ideas on nourishing food, practical cooking and healthy aging.
Join the Conversation
If you are taking part in this month’s challenge, you are welcome to share what you are trying along the way. Post a meal, a new ingredient, a question, or something you have noticed, and join the conversation on Facebook or Instagram.
You do not need to participate publicly for the challenge to be meaningful. Quiet participation counts too. But if you would like ideas, encouragement, or a sense of community, I’d love to have you there.
The Living Well Challenge
This month’s challenge is part of the Living Well Challenge series, a collection of small monthly invitations designed to support healthy aging through food, cooking, movement, recovery, and everyday habits.
If you would like to explore the full series, visit the main Living Well Challenge page.