Children's Health: Be An Artist! Color Your Kids’ Meals Red, Yellow and Blue!

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Be An Artist! Color Your Kids’ Meals
Red, Yellow and Blue!

Daily Bread

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10

A box of crayons can help you and your child learn about healthful nutrition

Are you hearing refrains of, “Oh, not that again, yuck! I had that yesterday!” when fixing breakfast for your children? Two months into the school year, have you exhausted your design skills dressing up a slice of bologna five different ways? A box of crayons can turn meal choices into a fun and educational game for you and your child.

Children love bright colors and a colorful palette of different fruits and vegetables is just what the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dietetic Association recommend you serve your child. A variety of different fruits and vegetables available year round will ensure your child receives proper nutrition.

Color Wheels Aren’t Just for Decorators
To start, have your child get out their box of crayons and help them draw and fill in a color wheel to take to the grocery store. Primary colors—red, yellow and blue—and secondary colors—orange, purple and green—are fair game. Add black, brown and white in the middle and you are on your way to planning nutritionally sound meals.

Ask your child to name as many fruits and vegetables for each color as they can and help them write the names next to the matching color. As you shop in the produce section, let them discover and write down new fruits and vegetables. When you have several listed for each color on the wheel, have your child select at least three different fruits and vegetables for a meal and two more to eat as snacks to total five for the day.

Van Gogh for Breakfast
Have your children compose their portraits with a bowl of whole-grain oatmeal and low-fat milk. That counts for two colors—brown and white. Decorating it with sliced bananas for eyes, raisins for a nose and an orange slice for a mouth will add three more colors to the day’s tally.

Picnic with Seurat
Pack a fun lunch picnic with new vegetables to try, instead of the usual sandwich and chips. 5 A Day suggests making “sandwiches or wraps that include several vegetables, such as mushrooms, tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers or other raw vegetables.” Pack cut up vegetables kids can dip in ranch dressing and eat with whole wheat crackers with thick slices of low-fat meats. Pack baby carrots, nuts, low-salt pretzels or popcorn for variety.

Dinner with Monet
Using fruits and cut up steamed vegetables, help your child create a landscape of broccoli trees, cauliflower clouds, yellow squash for a sun and carrots, celery, grapes and berries for flowers. Sprinkle rain (low-fat ranch dressing) on the masterpiece. It’s ready for eating!

More tips for including fruits and vegetables in your child’s diet from 5 A Day:

Offer dried fruit instead of candy.
Freeze grapes, berries or slices of bananas to eat for snacks instead of candy.
Vary textures to include crunchy, chewy and smooth foods to add interest.
Plan several meals at a time to help avoid repeating foods too often.

Published: Nov. 21, 2006
Source: 5 A Day; The United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service; American Academy of Pediatrics

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