Common dietary advice for both eating healthy (healthily) and maintaining your weight, and your waistline, is to fill your plate with color. Half of it should be fruits and vegetables, they say, the richer the colors the better.
I’ve also read that to lose weight, you should not only downsize the food portions, but should also downsize your plate size. The theory being that you trick your brain into thinking you’re eating a lot because your salad plate, serving as your dinner plate, is heaping, seemingly overloaded, with food.
These are good ideas to not only trim your size, but to keep it trimmed. Not to mention improving your overall health.
As a quilter, I love color. And not only do I love splashing color onto my fabric palette, but I also love adding it to my food palette (palate). I marvel at the colors nature has bestowed on us, the translucent slices of red and white radishes, delicate slivers of orange carrots, shiny green leaves of romaine lettuce, light green slices of succulent avocado, luscious rounds of red tomatoes and the deep, rich red of my favorites, strawberries and watermelon.
I could go on, but you get my drift. It seems that nature has provided us with edible colors of many shades and hues, except for one. Blue.
Yes, the word blue is half of the name for blueberries, but they are not truly blue. They are more of a purple violet. The only “blue” food that I’ve eaten (overeaten) is the food that I eat when I feel blue, whatever its actual color might be.
Well, apparently, there is another food association with the color blue. According to a study referred to in the October/November edition of AARP Magazine, if you eat off of a blue plate it will make the food look unappetizing, and ahem, put you off your food.
I’ve had many sets of dishes over the years, in different colors, but never blue. I can’t think of ever seeing blue plates. I’m sure there must be, I just haven’t been looking. Perhaps there was a subconscious reason for that, but now that I’ve read this, I think I shall go shopping for a small blue plate to eat off of during my feeling-blue days.
Beating Rheumatoid Arthritis 
Lovely post and a gorgeous quilt. I hope you don’t have many days of eating off the blue plate. I wish for many bright vivacious colors in your life.
Thanks, J. Looking out the window, I wish I could see the brilliant colors of fall, but all I see are the same shades of every day green. And of course, a wonderfully, clear blue sky. Something to be thankful for. Hope you are doing well.
I love this idea, Irma! I’ll look for a blue salad plate. We can call ourselves the Blue Plate Club. 😉
I’m facing the music: I must lose 50 pounds. I figure 10 at a time is doable, with smaller portions and an eye to fresh ingredients and balanced nutrition. I’ve probably lost this same 50 pounds six times over the last 25 years and always slowly gained it back, plus a little more each time. Demoralizing, so I’m trying not to think of the past attempts and just focus on today, this moment, with that 10 pound goal as my carrot.
Thanks for the blue plate idea. I’m on it! 😀
Hi, Wren. It makes wonder about the blue-plate specials. Why they came to be called that, and who came up with that anyway? And the bluelight specials at K-mart. Things that make you go, hmmm. I think I will buy blue plates. The Blue Plate Club sounds like fun. Here’s to saying a final goodbye to unwanted pounds!
I’m in the feeling blue food mood this weekend – down with something -cold, flu or flu shot reaction. Or a bit of everything. I don’t have any blue plates, but I have some small lime green plates. That might do the trick!!
I hope you’re lots better now. Lime green. I won’t mention what that makes me think of!
Wonderful post and great advice. For those looking for blue plates, there’s a line of pottery called Fiestaware. I don’t know if it’s available in other places than in the South/Southwest, but I know you can get it at Macy’s. There are some beautiful turquoise place settings/dishes as well as a deep azure blue. There are some others I’m aware of, but these tend to be high-end bridal-registry $$$ patterns. If nothing else, it would be great to have a couple of blue plates just to remind us to be mindful when we’re eating. (Love the quilt!)
Hi, Carla. I love turquoise and aqua shades. I will look up this dishware online. I think I’ve heard of Fiestaware. And I can order in time for Christmas. Maybe I’ll make this a blue and white Christmas. Sounds like a plan. Hope you’re doing well!