Children love colour, and so they should! Colour can brighten up our sometimes grey and dreary world like a rainbow in a dark, cloudy sky.

With all sorts of nourishing and tasty fruit and vegetables available, create a plate full of fun and bright colours to encourage your children to get the essential nutrients their bodies need. And as the different coloured fruits and vegetables each come with their own respective health benefits, it’s important that your child gets to taste the entire rainbow!

So, what are the benefits of each colour?

Greens

Examples of vegetables:

Broccoli, asparagus, green peppers, courgette or zucchini, spinach, kale, and green cabbage

Examples of green fruits:

Kiwi, green grapes, green apples, green pears, and avocado

Qualities and benefits:

Packed with vitamins, minerals, and fibre and low in calories, greens reduce the risks of obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease and improve mental function.

They’re also full of lutein and indoles, which are thought to promote healthy vision in children and adults.

Oranges and yellows

Examples of vegetables:

Carrots, yellow peppers, sweet potatoes, sweetcorn, and squash

Examples of fruits:

Mango, apricot, peach, grapefruit, and pineapple

Qualities and benefits:

These colourful fruits and vegetables are full of nutrients that protect your little one’s nervous system and promote eye and heart health. They also maintain skin health and help to build strong bones.

Purples and blues

Examples of vegetables:

Eggplant, or aubergine, and purple cabbage

Examples of fruits:

Blueberries, blackberries, plums, figs, and raisins

Qualities and benefits:

Purple and blue fruit and vegetables are believed to help with memory, keep the blood healthy, reduce cancer risks, and maintain urinary tract health.

Reds

Examples of vegetables:

Red onions, tomatoes, rhubarb, red peppers, and beetroot

Examples of fruits:

Red grapes, watermelon, strawberries, pomegranate, cranberries, and cherries

Qualities and benefits:

These foods help to boost the immune system, maintain the heart, and improve vision.

Whites, tans, and browns

Examples of vegetables:

Parsnip, cauliflower, turnips, onions, potatoes, and garlic

Examples of fruits:

Brown pears, peaches, bananas, and dates

Qualities and benefits:

These foods promote heart health and lower cancer risk.

Top Tip: Serving a rainbow selection of colourful options will make fruit and vegetables more appealing.

Why does the variety of fruit and veg in my toddler’s diet matter?

From Unii’s Toddler Nutrition Journey, here’s why the variety and colour of fruit and vegetables matter.