Eating Habits

November 14, 2008

Eating Habits

I seem to have this conversation with a lot of people and so I've decided to clarify my funkified eating habits. I'm no nutritionist by any means nor do I have good eating habits. I just love color and so I eat according to color. What?? I know, sounds crazy but it's true. It's partly from the way I grew up and somehow subconsciously carried this odd tradition with me. I do it mainly when I cook or when I have control over the food (ie. eating out and choosing a different side or at a potluck). If I eat at someone else's home no biggy. I'll eat whats served even if it isn't the most appealing color pallet.

I realized I actually was like this about a year or so ago. I was planning my menu and realized with a particular main dish I couldn't think of something green or red to coordinate with the dish!

Now that everyone knows my color obsession is to the extreme I have to say it's not so bad. It has it's perks. I hate to cook but I still cook about 28 days out of the 30 in a month. Having something appealing in front of my eyes definitely makes it better and easier.

I don't cook special things. I just simply decide whether the colors coordinate or not. How do I do that!? As I've told my dear friend Lindsey before, you would never see grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, corn and rolls all together for a meal at my house. No way!!!!! They are all white foods with a yellow. And the yellow isn't much of a veggie (ladies you've changed diapers and you know the veggies that pass right through). Instead, I would have grilled chicken, sweet potatoes, salad with tomatoes and probably no roll (because it's white or light brown). Now I have meal with white, orange, green and red. Ahhhh, much better. Dinner is the easiest meal to do this with, lunch and breakfast take a little more thought.

Overall, though my little habit seems weird the best perk is that color in foods is important. The nutrition offered with each type of food is a benefit. If your food pallet is bland then probably so is the nutritional value of your meal but, if you add a little color to the plate your eating healthier. And to think I was doing this just because it simply looked pretty!