Eat the Rainbow! 7 Colorful, Nutrient-Packed Foods for Kids

Getting kids to eat healthy foods isn't always easy. But as any food marketer knows, kids are drawn to foods with bright colors. While most rainbow-hued foods for kids are terrible for them, you can use their love of vivid colors to your advantage when you make healthy snacks. By playing up color and emphasizing fun flavors, you might just be able to coax your picky eater into gobbling up some super healthy snacks. Here, we present 7 healthy, vivid, and kid-friendly recipes that will have them eating the rainbow!



Check these out 7 super nutritious and colorful kid-friendly foods:


1. Blood Orange Creamsicles
makes twelve 5 oz. creamsicles

Creamy and tangy, these homemade creamsicles are made with fresh squeezed blood orange juice. With all the vitamin C, folate, and thiamin you'd expect from an orange, blood oranges also contain anthocyanin, an antioxidant which can help to lower LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, and can also protect against cancer and heart disease. They pair great with yogurt for a sweet, smooth, and refreshing treat perfect for a hot day.




Ingredients:
2 cups fresh squeezed blood orange juice (6 - 8 medium, or sub in half blood orange and half orange juice)
2 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon blood orange zest
1/3 cup (or more, depending on the tartness of the oranges) honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt

Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt into the juice until smooth. Add the honey, vanilla, and salt. Pour into molds and freeze for 4 hours or overnight. Insert popsicle sticks after 1 hour.




2. Beet Tzatziki
A single beet can deliver up to 22% of the RDA for folate, as well as lots of fiber, vitamins (including C), minerals, and antioxidants. This fuchsia tzatziki is a fun and colorful way to encourage kids to eat their veggies!


3. Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Red peppers are brimming with nutrients like vitamin C, thiamine, vitamin B6, beta-carotene, and folic acid. These tasty veggies can even be a powerful ally in fighting cancer and aging. In this recipe, red peppers are roasted to smoky perfection and blended into a delicious, healthy hummus for a protein-rich, kid-friendly dip.

4. Carrot and Parsley Salad
Recent studies have shown that dark orange and yellow vegetables can provide powerful protection against cardiovascular disease and cancer. Besides heaps of vitamins A and K, carrots are also packed with the antioxidants beta-carotene and polyacetylene. This vibrant and healthy salad combines the nutritional power of raw carrots with another superfood - parsley.

5. Orange Juice Frosty
Not only are oranges loaded with vitamins C, A, and folate, but they can also leave healthy eaters feeling more satisfied. This vivid and delicious frosty is a big glass of vitamin-packed sunshine - perfect for a rainy day pick-me-up!


6. Grape Salsa
Besides being low in calories, naturally sweet, and vitamin-rich, purple grapes have resveratrol, an anti-pathogenic compound that has been linked with anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, cancer-preventing, blood pressure-lowering, and cholesterol-reducing properties. This grape salsa pairs savory and sweet flavors for a surprising, yet simple, snack that kids will adore.


7. Blackberry Soup
Like blood oranges, blackberries contain the cholesterol-lowering agent anthocyanin, as well as plenty of vitamins A and K. This playful soup is a fun way to serve up these vibrant and delicious berries.