One of the first rules I taught our grandchildren was this one: Eat A Rainbow Every Day.
It’s a simple concept.
Throughout the day, choose a wide variety of foods which represent every color in the rainbow. That’s it. No counting calories, points, or food groups.
So…whether it’s fresh fruits topped with a sprinkle of fresh mint…
Or a simple Caprese Salad (tomato slices, fresh mozzarella, basil leaves and balsamic vinegar) sporting all the colors of the Italian flag…
Or a one-pot wonder like my Penne Pasta With Sausage, Mushrooms and Fresh Asparagus
Children quickly learn to identify all the colors of the foods they’re eating.
Eat A Rainbow Every Day is a quick-to-learn “game” I invented to teach our grandkids how to make sure they are eating a variety of healthy foods. When healthy eating is easy to understand, kids are more likely to make good food choices. And in my lifetime, I’ve seen that the earlier this mantra is taught, the more successful children are in making healthy eating choices for the rest of their lives.
What doesn’t count? FAKE rainbows (a.k.a artificially colored foods). Imposters! No…Cheetos, Doritos, and orange soda do NOT count towards the orange category! Here’s how I’ve taught my grandkids to spot the difference: is the food found in nature? If so, you’re good to go. If not, better stop and think about it…and look for a REAL food in that color category to take it’s place. We even came up with this fun (and very official) Rainbow Food game:
Eat A Rainbow Food Game
Meemaw’s trying to stump you! Check the foods in your pantry and in your refrigerator and work together to figure out if the food is found in nature (a REAL rainbow) or not (a FAKE rainbow). If you get it right, you get a point. If not, Meemaw gets a point. Don’t let her stump you!
So here is a partial list of my Rainbow Foods. See how many more YOU can add to the list…and ask your kids to help!
Red – apples, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes, grapes, cranberries, watermelon, rhubarb, pomegranates
Orange – cantaloupe, oranges, peaches, tangerines, butternut squash, sweet potatoes
Yellow – corn, peppers, bananas, eggs, lemons, pineapple, squash, apricots, peaches,
Green – lettuce (all varieties), fresh herbs, green apples, asparagus, kiwi, green beans, peas, brussels sprouts
Blue – blueberries, blue corn
Purple – cabbage, raisins, grapes, blackberries, plums, figs, eggplant
Brown – lean beef, brown rice, whole grain bread, grains, and pasta, beans, mushrooms
White – chicken, turkey, fish, pork, cauliflower, egg whites, potatoes, cheese, yogurt
To begin to Eat A Rainbow…simply mix and match different food colors to make up your snacks and meals for the day. It’s really that easy.
Here’s a sample daily menu to get your creative juices flowing…Now ask your kids how many colors you would find in this day’s meals!
Breakfast:
Ham, Egg , & Tomato Breakfast Sandwich on a Whole Grain English Muffin
Diced Cantaloupe and Blackberries
Snack:
The old standby…Ants on a Log. Spread peanut butter on celery and top with raisins. (For those with peanut allergies substitute sunflower butter if allowed.)
Lunch:
It’s A WRAP! Spread a Spinach (green) Tortilla Shell with any flavor of Hummus. Add Sliced Smoked Turkey, Shredded Carrots, and Red Lettuce. Roll up to create a wrap and cut into bite-size circles for easy eating. Serve with some grapes…any color!
Snack:
Cheese Cubes with Sliced Apples and Whole Wheat Crackers
Dinner:
Meemaw’s Homemade Chicken Nuggets , Fresh Cooked Green Beans, Baked Sweet Potato Fries, and Meemaw’s Rainbow Salad
Dessert:
We skip dessert most days, but for a special treat try a one ingredient Frozen Banana “Ice Cream”! Just drop a peeled, frozen banana into your blender and whirl it up into a delicious frozen dessert! You can drizzle with a little chocolate sauce for an extra “color” and flavor. (Because, at the end of the day…who says chocolate isn’t a color of the rainbow?)
As you can see from the menu, there are a variety of strategies that can help you to Eat A Rainbow each day:
- Eat many different colors with each meal
- Use recipes where the ingredients contain a variety of colors
- Eat both hot and cold “rainbow” foods…that’s another way to add variety to a child’s diet
- Puree “unpopular” fruits or vegetables and add them to dishes to disguise them until children like the flavors
- Have children select rainbow colors of foods at the grocery store and let them add the foods to the grocery cart
- Involve children in the food preparation before meals to encourage them to try different foods
So one thing is for sure…I know seven little angels who already know the value of a balanced diet. It’s all about the colors of the rainbow…
My Eat A Rainbow Every Day lesson has already been passed from one generation to another, simply by spending family time together…in my kitchen and around our table!
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