The Paint Your Plate Approach Paint

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paint Your Plate is based on a simple, positive concept designed to promote the consumption of vegetables and fruit of many colours, flavours, and textures in a child-friendly way.

 

Different types of vegetables and fruit have different kinds and amounts of vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, white, and tan—the more colours on the plate, the healthier the meals and snacks.

 

Children should eat at least one dark green vegetable (e.g., broccoli, romaine lettuce, green peas, spinach) and one orange vegetable or fruit (e.g., sweet potatoes, carrots, winter squash, cantaloupe, peaches) each day. Eating the other colours of vegetables and fruit gives children the nutrition they need to grow and be healthy (e.g., red cherries and strawberries, blueberries and purple grapes, yellow peppers and squash, brown pears, and white parsnips).

 

Choosing at least one vegetable or fruit from each colour group is a key way for children to meet Canada’s Food Guide. Paint Your Plate guides childcare providers to follow this approach within their setting.

 

                                                     

 

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​