Eating the Rainbow – Stacking the Fridge

It’s a rare evening when we don’t cook dinner.

But last night we went out to celebrate his brother’s Birthday!

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That’s the Birthday Boy blowing out the candle on his ice cream, brownie sundae.

The sundae was preceded by beers, burgers and fries. Have you had a burger and fries at The Smith? If not, you are depriving yourself. Look at it! You need that burger in your life!

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I didn’t have any of the sundae, but I did eat the whole burger. And all of the fries. (hangs head in burger and fry shame.)

So this morning I woke up feeling … virtuous. I would eat fruits and grains and wholesome foods! I would make today the day I start eating really healthily. (At least until dinnertime.)

On an average day, we do keep fairly healthy. Like I’ve said before, nothing crazy. Just fruits and vegetables with every meal.

I think it’s inherently easier to do this in the summer, when Mother Nature gives us a riot of colors to tantalize the taste buds and to help us eat the rainbow.

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That’s what we should aim for ever day, the rainbow. Get in your greens, your reds, your oranges, and you give yourself a diverse array of tastes and textures and flavors, as well as a nutrients.  Here’s a link from Whole Living that gives a rundown of the different nutrients in the different colors: http://www.wholeliving.com/173430/eat-rainbow

Here’s how I set myself up for the week so I can have good foods at my fingertips.

We food shop on Saturday or Sunday, buying the produce that looks the best and that’s on sale. Trust your eyes and nose. You’ll be able to tell what’s fresh. The sales help direct you too because what’s on sale is usually what’s in season.

When we get home, I wash everything immediately, and then cut it up into bite chunks and store in Tupperware.

This is a two, maybe even three-fold strategy.

1, in an itty kitchen, space is at a premium. Instead of storing a watermelon, a pineapple and pounds of peaches, I have Tupperware containers that I can easily stack in the fridge.

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2. This is about itty CITY kitchens, and in the city, you’re usually in a rush. Taking the time on Sunday to cut up the fruit saves you time during the week. Crazy morning and need to pack lunch? Scoop out some fruit into a smaller Tupperware container and go.

3. It’s conveniently cut up and ready to go so you can’t say it’s easier to eat the bag of chips. No excuses, mister!

So this morning, I scooped out some pineapple and watermelon for a mid-morning fruit salad.

Then, I had some strawberries that were starting to get a little mushy. A few quick pulses in the blender, a teeny drizzle of honey, and I had my own quick and easy strawberry jam to throw on an English Muffin for lunch later.

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Don’t you feel healthier already?