Eating with Benefits: Balance

I'm going to zoom in on eating well and break down into three parts:  balance, portions, and habits.

Today let's focus on BALANCE. 

Providing balance in what we eat is eating with color and variety.  Anyone that knows me knows that I have a bit of a color obsession and colorful food is no exception.  You can thank my mother and Southern Living magazine!  And yes, sometimes a package of M&M's covers that balance. :) 
When my mom would cook, I remember her always checking to see if it "looked appealing" and were there two vegetables.  It almost always looked appealing to me because it was a plethora of colors and textures.  It was like designing on a dish!  I truly believe that when our food looks appealing you are more willing to eat what is offered. 

EXERCISE:  Don't worry, none of that really physical stuff
Take a moment and grab a sheet of paper and write down every day of the week, or you can grab a calendar.  Now, for those seven days write down a menu for one week.  Save this you will need it later.

You don't have to be a nutritionist or food scientist, you don't even have to be a color specialist to eat by color!  Here I have a color wheel.  This list the benefits of each color.  Eating with color is a very simple and visual way to eat well.
I find a lot of humor in this for one particular reason.  Have you ever heard anyone say or read that "if you can't read/pronounce the ingredients on the box, then you shouldn't be eating it."  I think I laugh out loud every time I hear this statement.  Have these people ever taken a science class before?  Here are some words for you--cryptothanxin, carotenoids lutein, hesperidin, flavonoids, anthocyanins, zeaxanthin.  I'm sure these are part of all of our every day vocabulary.  *rolling eyes*  All of these things are good for you.  People give that argument a break.
Back to the subject. 
Look at your menu.  Look at that first day and what you have planned.  Does your meal have 2 colors--boring, 3 colors--give yourself a high five, 4 colors--you are already eating well!

Set a goal to try to use at least 3 different colors to create the most beneficial and balanced meal.  Colorful meals make them appealing.  When food is appealing it is more likely to be eaten.  Through color you are providing many nutritious benefits without having to think about it.

This meal is simple, quick and has three colors.  I would probably add a fourth color by adding something yellow like corn, spicy squash or even a corn salad.  However, this fajita is packed with lots of goodies.  Mexican food is one of my favorites to begin with when it comes to adding color.  It's so easy to make colorful.

 

Let's do another example:

Here is a meal that looks super yummy.  It's a fine meal that offers something, but let's test the benefits, color and variety.  This meal has two colors essentially, brownish-white and green.  So how can we make a third color? 

• you could add another food item such as a salad and sneak in loads of color, but you will probably pour something white on it.  BOO!
• you could exchange one of the dishes for a different color.  You have two brownish-white things and one is a meat...which is always going to fall in that category just about, so try a different vegetable.
• there is minimal variety here when it comes texture
• temperature is a necessary variety but can sometimes add a nice contrast like a salty sweet.  However, if you are going to serve it hot, serve it hot and cold things cold.

In this dish you have a similar food items except instead of white potatoes you could use sweet potatoes.  Green beans would be fine to keep but here they have a salad.  What's great about this dish is it offers five different colors, different textured foods and temperatures.  This is an advanced meal.  Baby steps, don't throw this at your family all at once if they aren't use to it!  And I might add, that I would take a chicken thigh ANY DAY over a chicken breast.  Actually, some one feed me some steak!

 

Let's Review:

1. Balance with color and variety in your food. 
2. Aim for at least 3 colors in your meal.  Start with dinner, then slowly try it out in other meals.  If you have to count Fruit Loops as a colorful breakfast option, that's okay.  It's not the end of the world.  We want to enjoy our food.
3. Remember you are in control of the food.