"Eat the rainbow, taste the rainbow?"

I know we've all heard that phrase as a Skittles candy slogan, but is there actually a benefit to trying to "eat the rainbow?"

Well, yes: for a quick refresher on freshman year health class, the color of your whole foods (fruits and veggies) are a good indicator of which vitamins/minerals are the most abundant in that food. For example, red, yellow and orange are all good indicators of higher vitamin A and C content, green/dark green veggies are rich in vitamin K and potassium, and blue/purple foods are high in antioxidants. I should say most fruits and vegetables are "good for you" because of their vitamin, potassium, fiber and antioxidant properties.

So, if you're struggling to decide which veggies/fruits to eat, how often to eat them, how many different kinds to have... just focus on the rainbow. If you are able to eat (at least one) serving of each color every day or two, you're in good shape for keeping up with your micronutrient needs. Here's an example of a day of "eating the rainbow" (without other items included):

Breakfast:

An orange; a handful of spinach in a smoothie with blueberries. (orange, green, blue)

Snack:

A red or green apple, yellow and orange peppers with hummus or dip. (red/green, yellow, orange)

Lunch:

Dark green leafy salad with tomatoes, red or white onions (pickled is good), and carrots. (dark green, red, white, orange)

Dinner:

You've already satisfied all colors for the day... so have more of any or take a break! It doesn't hurt to put some raspberries on your dessert after dinner, though. ;-)

This is a very basic example; to get more variety with veggies, I like peppers, sweet potatoes, different colored squashes, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower.... the list goes on. So, the next time you're at the grocery store or making your list to go, think of the rainbow! You just might find it easier to get in your veggies and fruits if you not only plan ahead, but plan with the purpose of getting your colors in.

Thank you for reading and thank you for your patience with me getting the next "recipe of the week" out... let's just say the last couple of recipes we've tried were not that great (LOL) and I don't want to encourage you to eat something that won't be satisfying or tasty, as well as nutritious!

Margo