You may have heard this phrase before, “Eat the Rainbow”. There are many benefits for adding various colors to your plate on a daily basis. Each color represents various phytonutrients and will add micronutrients and fiber to your diet. There are many ways to make this change in your diet. I have included my favorites here.
1. Try Something New.
Did you know that the original carrot was purple? Have you ever had a purple sweet potato? Next time you are at the market pick up something new. Try a purple carrot, purple sweet potato, broccolini, orange cauliflower, or a yellow tomato! Aim for trying 1-2 new foods per week. You might find a new favorite.
2. Have fruits and vegetables prepped.
One thing that helps my family is to pre-prep fruit and vegetables and store in the refrigerator for easy access throughout the week. This follows my prep once, clean once model of cooking! When the strawberries have been cleaned and cut, my son is able to grab some on his own for a healthy snack option. Other ideas include cutting vegetables such as cucumbers, celery or carrots to have on hand for a snack or roasting a large sheet pan of mixed vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes to add to dishes during the week.
3. Add vegetables to sauces.
Next time you are making a tomato sauce or a sauce to accompany a meat dish, try adding some carrots, peppers, garlic, onions, herbs or other produce. You will get a boost of flavor as well as phytonutrients.
4. Vegetables can be breakfast.
As someone with a very restricted diet the includes largely plants, one thing I have noticed is that the typical American breakfast rarely includes vegetables. I first noticed this when traveling. Have you ever really evaluated the “free breakfast” that comes with hotels? It is a sea of processed carbs and saturated fats. Search out the omelet station if available as you can usually find a few vegetable options here or ask the staff if the kitchen is available. Omelets with vegetables is also a great at home breakfast. Have you ever tried a salad? Yes, I said it, A SALAD for breakfast!
5. Fruit for dessert.
Your body will thank you! Remove the processed/refined carbohydrates and try a bowl of fruit to satisfy your sweet tooth. Some family favorites are roasted apples and grilled peaches. Trust me, these will change your life!
Start with just one change and see where it takes you!
