Rainbow Lunch

Building a healthy lunch is as easy as eating the rainbow. Below are some tips for creating a colorful and tasty lunch.

1. Aim for Color:

• Purples/Blacks: beet sauerkraut for a hit of probiotics, California Black Ripe Olives, blackberries, or rainbow-colored heirloom tomatoes.
• Green: Avocado, salad greens, green beans, fresh herbs, cucumbers, broccoli, snow peas, zucchini, etc.
• Orange: Sweet potato, peaches, orange bell pepper, carrots (my fave), butternut squash, oranges, etc.
• Yellow & White: Yellow bell peppers, yellow tomatoes, summer squash, quinoa, mushrooms, rice, etc.
• Red & Pink: Tomatoes, fresh berries, bell peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, watermelon, etc.

2. Choose Healthy Fats and Proteins:

• Chicken and Turkey – There are a few brands at the deli counter without carrageenan, nitrates or nitrites. You can always pick up a rotisserie chicken (or make your own!) or use leftovers from the night before.
• Eggs – Not just for breakfast, eggs are a great choice. Scrambled, fried, or poached all make great additions. For a make-ahead option, you can soft- or hard-boil eggs in batches to prep a few days at a time.
• High quality pepperoni, salami, or chicken sausage – Look for brands without nitrates, MSG, or other preservatives. Sometimes, you just need a change from turkey and these are a fun choice to keep things interesting.
• Nuts, seeds, and nut/seed butters – Sometimes, there’s nothing better than an apple dipped in almond butter. Try cashew, peanut, almond, or pecan butter for variety. If you’re nut intolerant, sunflower seed butter or sprinkle some dry-roasted pumpkin seeds over your lunch for a little crunch.

Olives –California Black Ripe Olives. They are a great source of monounsaturated fats and are incredibly versatile for any colorful lunch plate.

3. Fill in with Fruits and Veggies:

Have fun and get creative! include all sorts of your favorite produce items to round out your beautiful and healthy lunch.