Aim to Eat a Rainbow Everyday with Fruits and Vegetables
By Kaci Daniel, Extension Agent, 4 - H Youth Development
With the start of a new year, many folks resolve to eat healthier. Avoid the fad diets that don ’ t last and opt for small, consistent changes to achieve good results, like eating multiple colors everyday. With fruits and vegetables, color is an indication of nutrition—the darker the color, the more nutrients such as antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Red foods like strawberries, cherries, and raspberries have lycopene to help curb free radicals that can lead to cancer. Fresh or frozen, try these fruits in smoothies, but don ’ t add extra sugar. Enjoy tomatoes or sauce with whole - grain pasta, roast beets to top a salad, or add red peppers to sheet - pan chicken fajitas. Blues and purples are found in more than just blueberries. Raisins, grapes, plums, and blackberries are delicious fruits. For a hearty winter meal, cook up red cabbage, sweeten with apples, and add cloves for an extra punch of antioxidants and flavor. Green vegetables abound year - round, and winter presents many options for kale, collards, and other greens. While traditionalists may boil greens for many hours, try them in fresh salads or sautéed lightly with garlic and other herbs. Halved roasted brussels sprouts can be very kid - friendly due to their size and shape. Add cranberries for more color and flavor. Broccoli with ranch dip, grilled asparagus spears, and sliced kiwi fruit are other ways to get more green items in the diet. Oranges and yellows can be found in carrots and oranges. Keep some cut up and ready to grab from the fridge. Substitute sweet potatoes for white potatoes in recipes such as oven roasted fries, mashed potatoes, or baked. Butternut squash comes alive with flavor when roasted with rosemary and olive oil, and it makes a hearty soup! For more information about nutrition and wellness, please contact the Orange Extension office at 672 - 1361 or visit www.ext.vt.edu.
Page 10 | January 2021
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