12 Fun ways to “eat the rainbow” with your child

There are so many whole-body health benefits to eating a rainbow of plants. Each color has its own set of superpowers that come packaged as a fruit or vegetable. By eating a wide variety of colors, you are getting a wide variety of nutrients- such as vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. 

You’re probably thinking, “That’s all fine and great, but my child is a super picky eater and only wants to eat french fries and rice.”

Guess what?! That’s my toddler too. 

Some days are better than others and he will down a colorful plate of vegetables- other days I’m cleaning it off the walls. 

But I can still benefit from eating the rainbow. And as my little ones watch me modeling this habit, they will grow to love the beautiful rainbow of plant foods that are available to them too. 

If you’ve been struggling to get your child to “eat the rainbow”, look no further! I’ve put together a list of super simple and practical ways to make eating fruits and vegetables fun for your little one. We rotate through these methods and activities in our home to keep the novelty alive. 

1. Smoothies 

Smoothies are a favorite around our house. My boys love the flavors, colors, straws, and the whole experience of helping me throw everything into the blender. And I love that it’s so easy to include foods that they normally wouldn’t eat- think broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, and kale… just to name a few. 

After we have taken the time to create the smoothie together, we gather together and enjoy it with our favorite cups and straws. 

It’s a win-win!

I love a nutrient and connection-packed smoothie. Such an easy positive experience to create. 

For a little tooth-strengthening calcium boost, I like to add some chia seeds and yogurt.

2. Soup 

Ahhh. Soup. The “warm smoothie”. 

I love soup for all of the same reasons I love smoothies. The boys love it and I love that I can throw a wide variety of veggies and other nutrient-packed foods in. 

There are also so many opportunities to create positive experiences around eating the rainbow and taking care of our bodies. From chopping and prepping food together, talking about what we are adding to the pot, stirring and mixing, and of course enjoying a warm meal together. 

Not to mention, this is such an easy meal to make. There are almost always leftovers to enjoy for lunch the next day or to throw in the freezer to be enjoyed on one of those crazy days. 

3. Dips & Spreads

It’s so easy to serve raw fruits or veggies with a favorite dip. 

My boys love apples and nut butter. I switch it up between peanut, almond, and cashew butter for a little flavor variety, but they love it. And it doesn’t take much prep on my end.

And- BONUS- crunchy fruits and veggies are a super tooth-friendly snack. The crunchiness acts like a toothbrush in the mouth, clearing out food from grooves or plaque from the gumline. Crunchy foods are also a great workout for the jaw and associated muscles. 

Other easy wins are fruit and yogurt or veggies with hummus, guacamole, or tzatziki sauce. 

4. “Kitchen Sink” Meals

I love meals that allow you to just throw in whatever veggies or fruits you have on hand. For me this looks like:

• Scrambled eggs or omelets
• Currys
• Chilli
• Fruit or veggie salads
• Casseroles
• Soups
• Smoothies
• Stir fry

These are great opportunities to use the canned or frozen foods from your pantry or freezer and just keep it simple.

The other great thing about kitchen sink meals is that you make great freezer meals for those days when prepping a meal just isn’t going to happen. 

5. Same food different experience 

Does your little one have a select few items from the menu that they will eat?

Mine too. 

So I try to mix it up with these fun ways to eat the rainbow: 

1. Offering the same food, but in a different color. For example, apples come in a variety of colors ranging from red to yellow or green. The same goes for carrots, bell peppers, and squash. You get the benefits of a different color without changing the texture or taste very much

2. Changing the shape. It’s super quick and easy to cookie cut a shape out of a fruit or veggie that your little one wouldn’t normally be too keen to try. But who doesn’t want to eat a star-shaped vegetable? 

3. Offering the same food, but prepared differently. I’ll help my toddler be more willing to try new fruits or veggies by adjusting the texture- think raw vs steamed, or baked, shredded, sautéed, etc. 

4. Adding sprinkles! This can look like the colorful sprinkles you use for baking or it could be chia seeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, or cinnamon to name a few- even more fun if you let them do the sprinkling. 

6. Prep with me 

Let your little one be a part of the food prep. It will not only get them salivating but will also help them feel ownership over what is being served. 

Not comfortable with letting them stir, chop, or assemble? 

Then let them “play prep” alongside you. They will still get to feel a part of the process and you’ll get the added benefit of connecting over preparing and eating the rainbow. 

We have a simple fruit and veggie chopping playset like this one that our littles love to chop up next to me. I love that it is velcro, not magnetic, so I don’t have to worry about little bits breaking off and becoming choking hazards.

This is such a valuable opportunity for them to learn through observation or conversation what foods will best serve their bodies. 

7. Garden together

Letting your child help you grow your own food, even if you only have space or time for something simple like herbs is a great way to connect. 

It’s also another way to help your little one feel more ownership over what they are eating. 

They will be more likely to try new foods because they have had the opportunity to learn, talk about, and touch them in a non-threatening, low-pressure setting. As opposed to at the table being told to eat one more bite of a foreign food they have never seen before. 

8. Food art

Who says you can’t play with your food? Letting your little one play with their food is a great way to familiarize them with different textures and flavors in a low-pressure way. And a really easy way to make eating the rainbow fun.

Some fun ways to play with the colors of the rainbow include:

• Characters: You can turn your little one’s food into a lion, smiley face, or character if you have the right tools or just use your imagination. We have used anything as simple as toothpicks or as ready-made as car-shaped pancake skillets. 

• Kebabs: let your little one thread their fruits or veggies onto kebabs 

• Charcuterie board: it can be fun to make a “fancy” snack together. Let them help you arrange a beautiful assortment of some of their favorites and something new to try 

• Nachos: these can be fruit or veggie nachos. We have made chip-free nachos using fruits like apples and pears or veggies like carrot rounds or cucumbers. Our kids enjoy choosing how to top their own nachos. 

9. Mystery Produce box 

There are lots of great subscription produce delivery services that will bring fresh and local fruits and veggies straight to you. You can choose what’s in each box or let it be a surprise. this is an easy and fun way to eat the rainbow.

We have done it both ways and have really enjoyed the challenge of coming up with recipes for new foods we haven’t tried before. It’s a fun experience to explore new foods together as a family and I love knowing where the food is coming from. 

We have also done ready-made smoothie packs and that has been a game changer for us on those days when I just don’t know what to make or don’t have the energy to prepare a snack or breakfast. Just pull it out of the freezer, blend, and enjoy. 

10. Color of the week

Ok, let’s play a game. Pick a color. Now, take your little one to the store and find all of the fruits or veggies that you can in that color. 

Choose a handful of them to take home- some familiar and some new. Plan your meals around those foods this week or just try them each out for snack time. 

11. Farmers Market

Farmer’s markets are a great option if gardening is just not your thing or you don’t have the time or space to grow one. 

Let your little one help you pick out the foods from your list or just try something that looks interesting to them. 

Sometimes they will even have the opportunity to taste test the fresh produce right there on the spot. 

This can be such a fun and memorable experience that your child will look forward to as it is filled with connection and one-on-one time with you. 

12. Seasonal picking

There are tons of opportunities for seasonal picking if you just check with farms in your community. 

We have done apple picking, strawberry picking, cherry picking, and wild huckleberries. 

It’s fun to make holiday traditions out of going to a pumpkin patch to pick out pumpkins and stock up on apple cider. You can carve or cook the pumpkins and bake the seeds to use on top of salads, smoothie bowls, or yogurt. 

Last thoughts

There are so many simple things you can do to incorporate eating the rainbow into your daily menu. It doesn’t have to be a huge ordeal for you. 

It can be fun!  

Eating a rainbow of foods can be a great way for you and your kiddos to connect and create positive experiences around a healthy habit that benefits not just their oral health, but overall health. 

Try what fits your family and leave the rest. Let me know how it goes in the comments below.