Your Health Benefits By Filling Your Plate With A Diverse Color Palette of Fruits and Veggies

Rainbows bring joy, sunshine and smiles to our lives. Whether you are listening to Ariana Grande belt out “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” or waiting for one to come out after a hard rainstorm, rainbows bring color into our lives. 

Did you know that rainbows are a great way for us to also think about eating healthy? 

Eating the rainbow is not a new concept, but it is a fun one, especially when we are getting kids (and yes, sometimes adults) to vary the types of fruits and veggies in their diet. Often we get in food ruts and eat the same foods all the time. Our shopping lists do not vary much and buzz in and out of the aisles in the same pattern.

This month, we are challenging you and your family to Eat The Rainbow! What does that mean you may ask? That entails taking a deep dive into the produce you eat and asking yourself, am I getting a variety of different colored fruits and veggies in my diet on a regular basis? Maybe you are typically eating mostly green veggies or reds. 

This month, we encourage you to explore the many different colored fruits and veggies we offer here at Nino’s in our incredible produce department. When you eat a variety of different colored fruits and veggies, you ensure that you are getting a wide range of nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals your body needs to function properly. According to the National Cancer Institute, “People whose diets are rich in plant foods such as fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of getting cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, stomach, and lung, and some evidence suggests that maintaining a diet rich in plant foods also lowers the risk of cancers of the colon, pancreas, and prostate. This diet also reduces the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension, helps to reduce calorie intake, and may help to control weight”  

The brighter the rainbow of produce on your plate, the healthier your diet can be. Plus, it makes it more interesting, fun and exciting! 

"As produce buyers, our team really enjoys finding fruits and veggies that are bursting with color," says Joe Santoro, our lead produce buyer at Nino Salvaggio International Marketplace. "Color tells us so much about fruits and veggies, including species, ripeness, nutritional value, and more. I personally love the challenge of sourcing more exotic options, especially tropical fruits which are often bursting with color."

According to the American Heart Association, “The best way to get all of the vitamins, minerals and nutrients you need is to eat a variety of colorful fruits and veggies. Add color to your plate each day with the five main color groups”. As featured on their website, here is a list of the different fruits and vegetables that fit into each category. Be sure to visit our Nino’s produce department and we can help you shop the rainbow! 

Now that you have the handy list above, are you pondering how to get started eating the rainbow? Here are some family friendly tips to get you on your rainbow journey: 

• Engage your family in the grocery shopping process. Sit down and make a grocery list together being mindful about the colors of the rainbow. Present the list above and have your family circle the different colored fruits and veggies they would consider trying this month and plan your grocery shopping trip accordingly. 
• Once your family chooses the produce they want to experiment with, plan your meals and snacks around it. Search that specific fruit or veggie on the web, Pinterest or other recipe platforms to find recipes using the selected colored produce.
• Plan a color theme week. For example, make this week “Red Week” or “Green Week”! Plan your meals and snacks around the week's color theme and choose foods that center around that color.  For example in red week, you could try: Tomato Soup, Caprese Salad, Whole Wheat Pasta with Marinara Sauce, Strawberries for dessert! 

As always, the produce team at Nino’s is standing by to help make your diet and day filled with sunshine and rainbows!

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