Brown vs the Brain

There was a study that I once read about how people respond to color. The brighter the color of food or the more colors that are on a plate, the more responsive you are to eating it. I know with my daughter we name the colors on her plate and I always try to have three or more different colored foods represented on her plate.

That same study went on to say that there are millions of dollars being spent on research of colors and the American pallet.There are major snack food corporations that will spend this money on trying to trick us into eating processed junk! That we as consumers are buying things like bright orange colored chip bags because of how it is presented on the outside. It is the same brain function. However, what we are eating inside that bag is usually a color not really found in nature or some shade of brown. How did this happen to us? We would rather eat processed snacks, frozen dinners and purple-colored sodas then what is a true rainbow of food found in nature. Not to be on my giant soap box here, but this seems a wee bit criminal to me.

Fast food is not really any different in the color scheme of things. All of the fast food joints are brightly colored and yet most of what is on their menus are shades of brown. It is amazing how the human brain works and our trigger responses to color and its association with food.

What scares me the most is how our children would rather eat a big plate of brown processed foods then a rainbow of fruits and veggies. It is almost like they have been presented wrong this entire time. Ask any child what their favorite color is and I guarantee they will not say brown.

Here is a trick to get your child to eat something new or something they might not like. Ask them what their favorite color is and see if you can't match a fruit or veggie to it. Explore where that food comes from, make it an adventure for not only their stomach but their minds as well. I find that the way we have been presenting fruits, veggies and whole grains for the past fifty years feels more like a punishment than a privilege. Eating these good foods are not meant to be what you have to do in order to watch TV later, it should be something that we all anticipate with great joy.

In the spirit of colorful eating, I would like to share with you my mother's recipe for kale chips. Kale is super nutritious and is considered a "super food" for your body. You can usually get a big bag of kale at the farmers market and is actually one of the more inexpensive things to buy at the grocery store. I have been told that it is also a great veggie to start a garden with, super easy to plant grow and nurture. So, why not make this amazing and delicious green snack for your family tonight? Put in a little bag for your kids lunch tomorrow. Everyone will beg you for more! And the best part of all, is it costs very very very little to make several batches of kale chips. You are not only feeding your family right, but you are saving money as well. YAY!

Cheers!

Kale Chips: 


Preheat oven to 275F (low heat)

• rinse kale if fresh or just take out of bag
• tear large pieces of the green leafs and place in a big bowl
• drizzle olive oil over the leaves coating all the leaves generously
• sprinkle just a pinch of sea salt over the coated leafs. (kale soaks in salt very easily, so be gentle)
• Place on baking sheet and put in the oven
• cook until crispy which is about 20-22 minutes
• put into bowl and enjoy