Eating in Color

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  Have you ever been to a restaurant where the server brings your food out and it looks…


……uh, boring? 


Or it’s your husband’s night to cook family dinner and when he sets the table it looks….. 

….uh, boring? 


And even worse, not only does it look boring, but it also TASTES boring, too. I cannot imagine anything worse than eating a bland meal! 


Ever notice how the meals that look the prettiest are generally the ones with the most nutrition in them? Did you know that research has shown that meals that consist of many colors encourage healthy eating behaviors?


Many vitamins and minerals can be identified based upon their color. Therefore, the more color you see on the plate, the more nutrients available for you to eat. And the more nutrients available for you to eat, the happier your body will feel. Who doesn’t want that?! If you are struggling with your nutrition, wanting to eat more fruits and vegetables, or simply want to include more tasteful and delicious ingredients to your everyday meals, here are some tips and tricks for you. 


How to include more color in your diet:


  1. Add a pop of color to each meal or snack- If you eat oatmeal in the morning, add some fruit! If your lunch is only a turkey sandwich, add a tomato to it or have some baby carrots on the side. Any addition, so long as it’s colorful and flavorful, will have many health benefits. 

  2. Choose a color to focus on for the week- For example, if your color of the week is green, find 3-4 fruits and vegetables that are green to include throughout your weekly meals and snacks. This could be: green apples, green peppers, spinach, broccoli, or pears. 

  3. Meal prep wisely- If you are someone that makes a different dinner every single night of the week, this can be exhausting, and may limit your ability to consume different amounts of color at mealtimes. Try cooking several different vegetables at once EARLY IN THE WEEK so that you always have them on hand when dinner time rolls around. 

  4. Shop smarter- When it comes to fruits and vegetables, there are a lot of options to choose from, some of which may be unfamiliar to you. Do not choose to purchase the fruits and vegetables that you do not know what to do with nor feel comfortable consuming. This can increase food waste and take a toll on your wallet!


Try to adopt any one of these strategies and suggestions for the next two weeks to figure out which one(s) work best for you and your family. Happy eating!


-kc


references:
König, L. M., & Renner, B. (2019). Boosting healthy food choices by meal colour variety: results from two experiments and a just-in-time Ecological Momentary Intervention. BMC public health, 19(1), 975. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7306-z

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