Strawberries are available at Butler Farm Market. Eagle File Photo

Eating a variety of food groups can be done easily if you remember to “eat the rainbow,” according to Patti Cipolla-Kuniak, the lifestyle coaching program manager for Independence Health System.

“I like to keep it really simple and eat less processed food,” she said. “Those kinds of foods just aren’t good for our health. They take the good stuff out and put bad stuff in. They don’t taste or resemble anything we have in nature.”

The phrase “clean eating” gained in popularity during 2023, according to Cipolla-Kuniak, because it’s the basis of any nutritious food plan.

When it comes to any diet, Cipolla-Kuniak said the way of the future is to do something sustainable. She challenged herself during the holiday season to count the plant-based foods she ate. One way of accomplishing this was to “eat the rainbow,” or consume foods in a variety of hues.

“Each color has it’s own health benefits,” she said. “I challenged myself to eat 30 different plant-based foods over the holidays. That includes spices, or lemon and lime water. I counted 22 at Christmas dinner.”

She added that the American Heart Association recommends “getting back to basics” even when it comes to drinks by sticking to coffee, water and tea.