Eating many different fruits and vegetables is important for providing your little one with essential nutrients.

There are 6 colour groups: red, orange, yellow, green, blue/purple and brown/white.

To learn why it’s important to eat a range of fruit and veggies have a go at the ‘Eat the Rainbow’ activity, has 3 parts:

Part 1: Read the rainbow. Read books about vegetables to introduce the children to the idea of ‘rainbow vegetables’ and why we should eat them.

Part 2: Cook the rainbow. Involve children in cooking and preparing by getting them to choose the recipe and vegetables to go in your rainbow recipe and then help you put it together.

Part 3: Eat the rainbow. This is a guided experience where the children get exposed to new vegetables in a safe and exploratory manner. Ask them to have a big try in different ways:

• What does the fruit/veg feel like? Is is smooth or rough?
• What does it smell like? Is it sweet or sour?
• Can you give it a lick?
• How about a brave bite?

Use the poster below as a learning tool to know the benefits of eating a rainbow of fruit and vegetables. See if they can name the different foods in each colour!

Provided by Swan Hill District Health, Health Promotion team 🙂

For more information see the Taste the Rainbow resource from Healthy Eating Advisory Service.