How-To: Eat the Rainbow
Bright bites: Benefits of each color
When it comes to eating, bright colors are a bright idea
Vary your veggies and focus on whole fruits. Eating every color in the rainbow is the best way to get the variety of nutrients our bodies need.
The darker the color, the more nutrients you get
If you don’t eat the peel, it’s what’s inside that counts (Banana = white food!)
Why is eating the rainbow important? Click through to:
- See the benefits
- Get ideas for eating more of each color
- Explore recipes for colorful foods
How different colors help you
Each color gives you vitamins and nutrients that support your body and mind in different ways.
| Keep your memory strong | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prevent catching colds | |||||
| Stay healthy as you age | |||||
| Lower your chance of getting cancer | |||||
| Keep your eyes healthy | |||||
| Maintain strong bones and teeth | |||||
| Keep your heart healthy | |||||
| Support a healthy bladder | |||||
| Maintain good cholesterol levels |
Let’s look at ways to get more of each color.
Great green foods
How to eat more green foods
- Just about anything is great on a pizza or in an omelet—add leftover cooked or uncooked veggies!
- Think you don’t like a certain vegetable? Try it a new way! If you don’t like steamed Brussels sprouts, try roasting with a drizzle of maple syrup.
Green (and other color) peppers have more vitamin C than oranges!
Yummy yellow and orange foods
How to eat more yellow and orange foods
- Roast squash and pumpkin with a little cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves for a snack.
- Use dried papaya, pineapple or mango in trail mix.
- Add sliced lemon to water for a refreshing drink.
- Make your own sweet potato fries!
People say carrots are good for your eyes, but other orange veggies are, too! The nutrient that turns them orange, beta carotene, also helps protect your vision.
Red foods rule
How to eat more red foods
- Try foods every year—your tastes can change. And try new types of veggies. Not crazy about tomatoes? Try mini grape tomatoes.
- The way a food is cooked changes its flavor. Try sautéing, steaming, or baking to mix things up. Add spices and herbs you love.
- Add red fruits to plain yogurt to sweeten it with just the right amount of sugar!
Tomatoes—vegetables or fruits? Truth is, anything with seeds inside is a fruit (so, technically, peppers, cucumbers, and lots of other veggies are fruits, too).
Bold blue and purple foods
How to eat more blue and purple foods
- Turn eggplant into a dip! Baba ganoush is a delicious dip made with roasted eggplant and seasonings. Serve it with whole grain crackers or cut up vegetables.
- Make a whole-fruit smoothie with frozen blueberries and blackberries.
- Raisins last a long time in the fridge. Keep on hand as a snack or to use in place of sugar-filled jelly in a PBJ.
Blue corn has about 20% more protein than white corn, so grab blue corn chips and tortillas and get extra nutrients, too!
Wicked-good white foods
How to eat more white foods
- Eating with vegan friends? Use mushrooms for a meaty flavor and feel.
- Combine ginger, garlic, onions, and green onions as the base of a tasty stir-fry.
- Roast cauliflower steaks for a great side dish! Top with buffalo sauce if you love the flavor of wings!
- Jicama is a potato-like vegetable that is sweet like an apple. Grate some as the base of a salad.
Cauliflower is actually a flower! The part we eat is made up of flower buds (and lots of vitamins and fiber).
Colorful new recipes to try
Brighten up your own rainbow by trying these delicious recipes at home!
Green:
Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Onions
Yellow and orange:
Sweet Potato Hash
Red:
Cranberry Orange Relish
Blue and purple:
Chilled Blueberry Soup
White:
Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
Did you know?
Many farmers markets will accept SNAP benefits. It’s a great place to add to your rainbow!
Try something new this week
All those new foods open up so many ideas!
Next, imagine how to add color to foods from around the world!
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