Add Variety to Your Eating Plan

February 25, 2009

Eating a variety of foods has always been a key to health because of the vast variety of nutrients different foods contain.

Variety adds more than just nutrition to your meals as well — variety adds color, flavor, texture, shape and temperature to meals or snacks.

• Vary the colors: Think about how foods will look on the plate together. Is everything beige? For color variety, add fresh chives to mashed potatoes or red pepper strips to baby carrots.
• Vary the flavors: Different ingredients and seasonings add layers of flavors. Instead of orange-glazed chicken, cranberry sauce and candied sweet potatoes, complement chicken with brown rice or a crisp spinach salad.
• Vary the textures: Contrast crunchy foods with soft foods. For example, add crunchy raw vegetables to rice.

Give your body the balanced nutrition it needs by eating a variety of nutrient-packed foods every day.

Produced by ADA’s Public Relations Team