Halt! You’re standing in front of your food cabinet, looking at your options for an after-school snack. Think about what you are getting: probably cookies, chips, or crackers. Then think about what’s in the fridge: a colorful selection of fruits, yogurts, and vegetables. You think the cookies, chips, and crackers are the way to go because they appeal to your taste buds. However, what will benefit you in the long run?

The differences between healthy and unhealthy snacks are extraordinary. First, notice that healthy snack foods, like fruits and vegetables, come in a variety of bright, natural colors. On the other hand, our typical junky snack foods, like

cookies, chips and french fries, are shades of brown, tan, and dark yellow. The naturally colorful snacks give us vitamins, nutrients, and usable energy and help our bodies with digestion. On the other hand, junk foods are loaded with calories and fat and don’t give us enough energy and vitamins to fulfill our daily activities. Healthy snacks are also more filling, so they help us eat the right portion sizes. Unfortunately, about four out of five Americans choose the brown snacks over the naturally colorful ones. We need to force ourselves to realize what tasting the rainbow can do for us.

After observing a cafeteria full of teenagers, I was able to see the unhealthy eating habits of the average student. The lunch choices consisted of meat, vegetables, other meal combinations, and a salad bar. Another section displayed chips, cookies, ice cream, and other snacks. Many students chose to buy chips, brownies, and ice cream with their lunch money. Fruits and vegetables were virtually non-existent on their trays.

Although there is no way to stop people from eating unhealthy foods, I hope people realize that our bodies will benefit from eating properly. Our bodies will feel better, and have more energy. When choosing our foods, a good rule of thumb is taste the rainbow.