(Family Features) Looking for creative ways to get your family to eat healthier? Registered dietitian nutritionist and mom of three, Frances Largeman-Roth, finds inspiration from the color spectrum, creating vividly-hued homemade culinary creations that encourage her children to explore new foods while incorporating good nutrition.
“When planning meals and snacks, include the colors of the rainbow – like vitamin C-rich mango or protein-filled red lentils. This is an easy way to entice kids to eat more fruits and vegetables while eliminating the need to overthink vitamin and mineral intakes,” said Largeman-Roth. “The whole family benefits from bringing more colorful foods to the kitchen table. Replacing processed foods with fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will automatically cut calories and saturated fat while increasing fiber and antioxidants.”
As a leading healthy cooking expert, Largeman-Roth shares her personal family stories, tips, and recipes for colorful healthy eating in her newest cookbook “Eating in Color: Delicious, Healthy Recipes for You and Your Family.” And mango is one of her go-to fruits for color-infused meals and snacks. “My family loves the tropical flavor of mango and its vibrant orange color. And as a nutritionist, I love that one serving of mango delivers 100% of your daily vitamin C.”
Mangos are superfruits bursting with antioxidants and more than 20 different vitamins and minerals. One cup of mango is 100 calories and a good source of fiber, which aids in digestion and the management of weight, and an excellent source of vitamin A which plays a role in bone growth.
To select a mango at the grocery store, squeeze gently to judge ripeness. If the mango has a slight give, it’s ripe and ready to eat. If it’s too firm, let it ripen on your kitchen counter for a few days at room temperature. Don’t judge a mango’s ripeness by its color. The red blush you’ll see on some varieties is simply a characteristic of the variety.
Get your family on its way to more colorful, nutritious eating with these tips from Frances:
- Eat color often. Pack antioxidant-rich colorful fruits and vegetables into every meal and snack.
- Don’t eat monochrome. It’s easy to get into a routine and just start eating kale salads every day. Kale is great for you, but it’s not going to meet all your nutrient needs.
- Go beyond your comfort zone. When shopping, seek out new fruits, vegetables, grains, and protein sources to try. And have your kids help with grocery selections!
For more tips and recipes to help fill your table with color, visit www.mango.org.
Coco-Mango Smoothie
Courtesy of Frances Largeman-Roth, “Eating In Color”
1 large ripe mango, peeled, pitted and diced
1 lime (finely grated zest and juice)
1/2 cup coconut butter, such as Nutiva Coconut Manna
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 cup ice, plus more for serving
In blender, combine all ingredients with 1 cup of water and blend until smooth. Pour into two glasses, over additional ice if desired, and serve.
Source: National Mango Board
