For a small family of two or three, with simple meals of two or three dishes plus a soup, it is difficult to obtain a wide variety of nutrients. However, the Chinese Dietary Guidelines recommend that to maintain a balanced diet, one should consume more than 15 different types of food daily (excluding scallions, ginger, garlic, and various seasonings).
If consuming 15 types of food daily can be considered a "pass," then 20 or more would be "excellent". In fact, solving this problem is very simple: just use more combinations when cooking, especially when stir-frying vegetables.
For example, vitamin C is most abundant in dark green vegetables, while soybean sprouts are rich in vitamin B2. Stir-frying spinach with soybean sprouts allows you to get both vitamins. Bell peppers are rich in vitamin C, carrots are rich in carotene, and potatoes are rich in starch. Stir-frying these three together achieves a nutritional complement effect. Red and green dishes can stimulate the appetite. For instance, stir-frying slices of lettuce with slices of carrot and fresh red chili results in a bright color; adding a little cilantro not only enhances the aroma but also stimulates the appetite.
In addition, mixing "similar" types of vegetables for stir-frying is also a good method. Vegetables can be categorized into leafy, root and stem, and flower and head types. "Similar" vegetables refer to those with similar cooking times, or complementary or similar flavors. Generally, vegetables from the same category, such as carrots, lettuce, zucchini, and potatoes, can each be used in whole or half. After washing, they can be sliced, shredded, or diced, then stir-fried with an appropriate amount of scallion, ginger, garlic, salad oil, and seasonings. Such mixed dishes are colorful, rich in a variety of nutrients and anti-cancer active substances, and are fresh, light, delicious, and tasty.