Kid-Friendly, Eat-the-Rainbow Foods to Boost Vitamin C (and Immunity)

As the cold season approaches and Covid-19 hangs on, we’re all looking for ways to support our immune systems, especially for our kids. One key defense starts with eating healthy meals. While getting enough sleep and exercise and practicing good hygiene are also essential, Jennifer Tyler Lee, mother of two and co-author of the cookbook Half the Sugar, All the Love, says kids should follow three simple principles when eating to support immunity: eat a balanced diet, reduce their intake of added sugar, and boost their intake of vitamin C.



Tyler Lee says that these steps are the building blocks for healthy living. While eating a balanced diet helps ensure proper nutrition, it’s also important to limit added sugar, especially because more than seventy percent of processed and packaged food are loaded with unnecessary calories. “When you cook for yourself and focus on nutrient-rich veggies and fruits, you will have the added benefit of reducing sugar,” says Tyler Lee, a nutrition expert. Specifically, since our bodies don’t produce or store vitamin C, it’s vital to include sources of it in our diets to support immunity and help reduce the risk of chronic disease.

Kid-friendly rainbow of colors

Boosting vitamin C and encouraging kids to eat well can start by following a rainbow of five colors (more on that below), says Tyler Lee, creator of Crunch a Color, an award-winning card game to motivate kids to eat healthy meals and have fun. “Think about colors and instruments in a symphony. When there are many instruments in a symphony, it can be lovely. Veggies and fruits are like that, too,” she says. “Varying colors is an easy way to increase variety in your diet. The more variety you can build with nutrient-dense ingredients, the better it is for you.”

Tyler Lee first became serious about nutrition as a parent of a picky eater. Pasta and peas, she laughs, was the main dish her then-toddler daughter, now a teen, would eat. The secret to inspiring finicky eaters is to have kids cook their own food because they’re more likely to eat well, she says. “Cooking together is like a craft activity. It’s not really about the end product. It’s about the process of exploring and spending time together.”

Taking your children to the farmers’ market and finding a new ingredient or talking to farmers about which veggies they are growing are all part of cooking, says Tyler Lee, who teaches virtual cooking classes showcasing kid-friendly, healthy recipe ideas. “It’s developing an appreciation and a love for the food that you eat.”

The value of vitamin C

Because our bodies don’t produce or store vitamin C, it’s essential that vitamin C comes from a daily intake of healthy foods. “Vitamin C supports immune function and iron absorption,” explains Tyler Lee. “When it comes to food and immunity, probiotics and vitamin C are the only two things that have evidence-based science behind them,” she says.

Surprisingly, citrus fruits are not the only stars of vitamin C. “I encourage parents and kids to think about eating their colors. Try to get three colors on your plate at every meal.”

In keeping with Tyler Lee’s smart tips on nutrition and the idea to let the rainbow act as a guide, we’ve compiled a collection of fun, healthy, kid-friendly recipes that are rich in vitamin C.

 

source : https://www.yummly.com/dish/741845/kid-friendly-eat-the-rainbow-foods-to-boost-vitamin-c-and-immunity