Eat the rainbow summer challenge

Welcome to the inaugural year of the Eat the Rainbow Summer Challenge! The purpose of the program is for kids to begin taking small steps to be healthier while also having fun. I have created eight categories of things that can be easily (and hopefully pleasantly) completed. Every time they do something on the list, they may add a leaf to their tree. If they complete three in one day, they may add a section of the trunk. If they complete all eight in one day, they can add an apple. (I have stickers here at the office that are available for pickup, or kids can just draw.)

Here are some ideas for the specific categories:

Eat the Rainbow: Foods in different colors contain phytonutrients that have very specific benefits. Encourage your child to make their plates as colorful as possible. (Naturally colorful, of course...not artificially colored foods.)

Eat Protein: Protein is a building block for health and also helps keep blood sugar in check when carbs are consumed. Healthy protein choices include (ideally organic) meat, nuts, nut butters, seeds, organic dairy products, wild-caught fish and eggs.

Drink Water: Many drinks aimed at children are loaded with sugar, additives, and artificial colors. Hydration is very important, especially in the summer. Water is the best choice, and can be “jazzed up” with fruit infusions such as lemon or orange, strawberries, watermelon or pineapple.

Move Your Body: Our bodies were meant to move, and inactivity can quickly become a way of life. Taking a walk, jumping rope, throwing a ball around, swimming…any activity that gets your child moving helps.

Spend Time Outside: There are many new terms such as “forest bathing” and “grounding” for what we did as children…being outside. The sounds of birds, the sight of a blue sky, the feel of water- these are all healing and good for the body and soul.

Do Something that Makes You Feel Calm: Many guides suggest meditation and yoga for adults and children, but these are not the only options. Getting into a state of “flow” (losing track of time) is important at all ages and can mean a variety of things. Ideas for children may include art projects, Legos, reading…whatever makes your child feel happy and relaxed.

Eat Something that Grows Outside: Local produce is amazing in the summer, and even the pickiest eaters can find something to enjoy.

Read labels: For older children, looking at labels and noticing the amount of sugar and nutrients can be eye-opening. Also, look at the list of ingredients for things that sound more chemical than food-related.

Here are printable materials for the program:

  1. Introduction Sheet

  2. Guide for Parents

  3. Phytonutrient (Rainbow Foods) Information Sheet

  4. Tree (To fill in the tree, you may either draw on leaves/tree trunk/apples, or I can mail stickers to you.)

  5. June Calendar (optional)

  6. July Calendar (optional)

  7. August Calendar (optional)

  8. IFM Phytonutrient Spectrum Comprehensive Guide (optional)

  9. IFM Rainbow Recipes (optional)

My hope is that kids will gain awareness of how to be healthier and incorporate this knowledge into their daily decision-making. Children who complete a tree can stop by for a prize during the month of August. (Please contact me ahead of time.) In order for me to be prepared, please provide the following information below so I can be sure to have enough prizes and make sure they are age-appropriate.