An attractive meal with a variety of colors makes for a better appetite. Think about what a meal of white fish, cauliflower and mashed potatoes would like on a white plate if you don’t get what I’m talking about versus a steak, asparagus and broiled tomato halves would look like on that same plate. I’m not just suggesting colorful food because it’ll make your meal look more appealing, though that is an obvious perk, but the more colorful your meal, the more nutrients you’ll consume.
When you eat by the rainbow and start encouraging colorful eating with your kids, it’ll be much easier to coax them into participating. Instead of the “no dessert” threat, you might find that if you show them how fun choosing colorful veggies can be, they’ll have more interest in consuming them without the looming threats!
Start the fun right from the start in the grocery store. You can turn it into a game, tell each of your children that they need to pick out three different veggies that are three different colors. When you’re making dinner that evening, show them how you cooked the vegetables they picked (or better yet, have them help you cook them) and give them a portion of each color. Once again, that “hands on nutrition” rule kicks in and you’ll notice that they’ll have more of an interest since they picked it out themselves and have a vested interest.
Another game you can use to ensure your children are eating their vegetables, is allowing them to be creative around snack time. So let’s say you let them pick out the different colors and veggies again, now cut them up in different shapes and lengths. Place them out on the table and tell your kids that need to use a certain number (you choose how many) of shapes and colors to create a design. Make sure you also remind them that it’s necessary to consume whatever they create.
I challenge you to participate in all the fun and games too! Children aren’t the only ones who need more color in their diet!
Dinner Diva column by Leanne Ely
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