eat your colors every day! - produce for better health foundation

Eat Your Colors Every Day! By Shelly Terry, MS ED, SFNS, PBH School Foodservice Consultant E D U C ATING STUDENTS ON FRUITS AND VEGETA B L E S The health benefits of eating a variety of fruits and vegetables are well documented. Still, less than 15% of children eat the recommended number of servings of fruit and less than 20% eat the recommended servings of vegetables. On average children eat 3.5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Use the five color group- ings of the 5 A Day The Color Way model, shown on the right, to promote the health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables of different colors. Offer fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors to provide the wide range of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals the body needs to maintain good health. The five color categories are blue/purple, green, white, yellow/orange, and red. Each color makes a unique contribution to maintaining health and a lower risk of developing chronic diseases. BLUE/PURPLE Blue/Purple helps maintain lower risk of some cancers, promotes urinary tract health, maintains memory function, and supports healthy aging. GREEN Green helps maintain lower risk of some cancers, promotes vision health, and supports strong bones and teeth. WHITE White helps maintain a lower risk of some cancers, and healthy cholesterol levels, promotes heart health, and supports a healthy immune system. YELLOW/ORANGE Yellow/Orange help maintain a lower risk of some cancers; health heart and vision health, and supports a healthy immune system. RED Red helps maintain a lower risk of some cancers; heart health, urinary tract health, and memory function. See the “Tips” column to help your students develop more healthful eating habits. Encourage them to select and eat fruits and vegetables of different colors that are offered as part of the meal. Tips Help Students Eat More Fruits and Vegetables RECIPES - Daily ◆ Use recipes that contain fruits and veggies. ◆ Go to: www.ed.state.nh.us/education/ doe/organization/program support/bnps/cookbook.pdf ◆ Go to: www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/recipes/ schrecipes.htm *Click on Recipes by Food Group *Scroll to Fruits/Vegetables/ Nuts/Grains *Select recipes ◆ Go to: http://schoolmeals.nal.usda. gov/Recipes/index.html#recipes *Click on Recipes from Industry and Growers *Select recipes MENUS - Weekly ◆ Feature “Color of the Week” fruit and veggies on the menu. ◆ Highlight featured fruit and veggies items on the menu. NUTRITION EDUCATION - Monthly ◆ Post information about the health benefits of eating a colorful variety of fruits and veggies on menus and menu boards. ◆ Go to www.5aday.org *Click on the color wheel graphic *Scroll for information Health Benefits of Eating Your Colors ©2005 Produce for Better Health Foundation 417-0105 volume 3, 2005 Contact Produce for Better Health Foundation School Foodservice 5341 Limestone Road Wilmington, DE 19808 p. 302.235.2329 f. 302.235.5555 e-mail. [email protected] www.pbhfoundation.org www.5aday.org

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Page 1: Eat Your Colors Every Day! - Produce for Better Health Foundation

Eat Your Colors Every Day!By Shelly Terry, MS ED, SFNS, PBH School Foodservice Consultant

E D U C A T I N G S T U D E N T S O N F R U I T S A N D V E G E T A B L E S

The health benefits of eating a variety of fruitsand vegetables are welldocumented. Still, less than15% of children eat therecommended number ofservings of fruit and lessthan 20% eat the recom-mended servings of vegetables. On averagechildren eat 3.5 servings offruits and vegetables daily.

Use the five color group-ings of the 5 A Day The Color Way model,shown on the right, to promote the health benefitsof eating fruits and vegeta-bles of different colors.

Offer fruits and vegetablesin a variety of colors toprovide the wide range ofvitamins, minerals, fiber,and phytochemicals thebody needs to maintaingood health.

The five color categoriesare blue/purple, green,white, yellow/orange, andred. Each color makes aunique contribution to

maintaining health and alower risk of developingchronic diseases.

BLUE/PURPLEBlue/Purple helps maintainlower risk of some cancers,promotes urinary tracthealth, maintains memoryfunction, and supportshealthy aging.

GREENGreen helps maintainlower risk of some cancers,promotes vision health,and supports strong bonesand teeth.

WHITEWhite helps maintain alower risk of some cancers,and healthy cholesterollevels, promotes hearthealth, and supports ahealthy immune system.

YELLOW/ORANGEYellow/Orange help main-tain a lower risk of somecancers; health heart andvision health, and supports a healthy immune system.

REDRed helps maintain a lowerrisk of some cancers; hearthealth, urinary tract health,and memory function.

See the “Tips” column tohelp your students developmore healthful eatinghabits. Encourage them toselect and eat fruits andvegetables of different colors that are offered aspart of the meal.

TipsHelp Students Eat More Fruitsand Vegetables

RECIPES - Daily◆ Use recipes that contain fruits

and veggies.◆ Go to:

www.ed.state.nh.us/education/doe/organization/programsupport/bnps/cookbook.pdf

◆ Go to: www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/recipes/schrecipes.htm*Click on Recipes by Food Group*Scroll to Fruits/Vegetables/Nuts/Grains*Select recipes

◆ Go to: http://schoolmeals.nal.usda.gov/Recipes/index.html#recipes*Click on Recipes from Industry and Growers*Select recipes

MENUS - Weekly◆ Feature “Color of the Week”

fruit and veggies on the menu.◆ Highlight featured fruit and

veggies items on the menu.

NUTRITION EDUCATION -Monthly◆ Post information about the

health benefits of eating a colorful variety of fruits and veggies on menus and menu boards.

◆ Go to www.5aday.org*Click on the color wheel graphic *Scroll for information