Eat the Rainbow

It’s National Nutrition Month, and what better time to start teaching your kids about the importance of healthy eating habits? Eat the rainbow is a simple method to help focus your efforts by choosing a variety of colors in your foods. We all know it’s important to eat a balanced diet, but how do we get our little ones excited about broccoli and carrots?

Focus on Color

The key is to make healthy eating fun and colorful! Challenge your kids to try as many colors of fruits and veggies as they can. Red peppers, orange carrots, yellow squash, green beans – the options are endless! One of my favorite website resources for infant and toddler suggestions is Kids Eat In Color. Such a great resource for getting specific ideas for more color.

Progress, Not Perfection

Making sure that your family is getting the right food doesn’t need to be intimidating. Perfection can not be the goal. I certainly would not expect that since a perfect meal is rarely served at my house. Give yourself grace to have imperfect meals.

Aim for Variety

By incorporating a rainbow of foods into your child’s diet, you can help ensure they’re getting a variety of vitamins and nutrients. And don’t forget to make healthy snacks just as fun! Try apple slices with peanut butter, or a rainbow fruit salad with a dollop of yogurt. My book, The Boy Who Burped, aims to teach this very principle of getting more variety in your diet through a quirky and ridiculous story.

When you focus on color and eat the rainbow, you’ll naturally consume the right antioxidants, vitamins and minerals your body needs.

Choose Something New

Teaching your kids healthy eating habits doesn’t have to be a chore. With a little creativity, it can be a fun and exciting adventure for the whole family. So why not celebrate National Nutrition Month by trying some new colorful foods together?

Fun Ideas to Eat the Rainbow

Here are some fun ideas to try:

• Make a rainbow on your plate: See how many different colors of fruits and veggies you can add to your plate. Red strawberries, orange carrots, yellow bell peppers, green grapes, blueberries, and purple cauliflower…the possibilities are endless!
• Have a taste test: Try different fruits, veggies, and healthy snacks and see which ones you like best. You might be surprised at what you discover!
• Get creative in the kitchen: Make your own healthy snacks like homemade granola bars, fruit kebabs, or even veggie pizza. Get the whole family involved and have fun experimenting with different recipes.

Here’s to a happy and healthy National Nutrition Month for you and your family!