# Do you still follow the eat one white and one green vegetable rule for yourself and kids? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 3, 2013, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-follow-the-eat-one-white-and-one-green-vegetable-rule-for-yourself-and-kids/649174 "2013-02-03T01:19:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-follow-the-eat-one-white-and-one-green-vegetable-rule-for-yourself-and-kids/649174/41 "2013-02-03T18:54:21Z")
Never heard of the rule and never heard of a cafeteria that serves turnip greens. Cafeteria side dish here is likely to be peas or the carrot/peas/corn frozen veg mix. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-follow-the-eat-one-white-and-one-green-vegetable-rule-for-yourself-and-kids/649174/42 "2013-02-03T19:22:03Z")
I’ve never heard of this rule. Sure, my idea of a “complete” dinner has the meat/starch/veg trifecta, but that’s more tradition than rule. I’ve also never heard of someone getting enough veggies in their diet but not enough starchy foods. What nutrients would someone miss out on if they were to stick to meat and greens? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-follow-the-eat-one-white-and-one-green-vegetable-rule-for-yourself-and-kids/649174/43 "2013-02-05T00:24:00Z")
Never even heard of the “rule.” And if you’re limiting yourself to white and green, you’re missing out on a rainbow of colors and flavors. And whte food is usually boring annd/or empty calories (exceptions exist). ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-follow-the-eat-one-white-and-one-green-vegetable-rule-for-yourself-and-kids/649174/44 "2013-02-05T00:28:00Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > I would have voted that I’ve never heard of this rule, if there had been such an option. The OP seems to assume that everyone knows of this rule and has made a choice to either follow it or to not follow it. But for me, none of the above. Ditto. Didn’t vote for this reason. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-follow-the-eat-one-white-and-one-green-vegetable-rule-for-yourself-and-kids/649174/45 "2013-02-05T00:28:25Z")
What I do is I eat what I want, and if it kills me then at least I lived a life where I ate what I wanted. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-follow-the-eat-one-white-and-one-green-vegetable-rule-for-yourself-and-kids/649174/46 "2013-02-05T03:14:43Z")
Another “never heard of this”, followed closely by “wouldn’t follow it if I knew about it”. ---
**Author:** ![FrankJBN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@FrankJBN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FrankJBN)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-follow-the-eat-one-white-and-one-green-vegetable-rule-for-yourself-and-kids/649174/47 "2013-02-05T17:32:18Z")
“If you follow your rule and get carrots and mashed potatoes” and this combination follows the white and green rule because …? ---
**Author:** ![Jamicat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@Jamicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamicat)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-follow-the-eat-one-white-and-one-green-vegetable-rule-for-yourself-and-kids/649174/48 "2013-02-06T04:02:33Z")
Protein + Vitamin + Starch Meat + Veggie Green + Veggie Not Green/Fruit + Tater/Bread/Rice/Noodle ---
**Author:** ![tullsterx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tullsterx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tullsterx)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-follow-the-eat-one-white-and-one-green-vegetable-rule-for-yourself-and-kids/649174/49 "2013-02-06T14:58:37Z")
Rule? Never heard of it. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-follow-the-eat-one-white-and-one-green-vegetable-rule-for-yourself-and-kids/649174/50 "2013-02-06T15:48:00Z")
All rules get stretched once in awhile. My wife and I didn’t mind our daughters occasionally switching a green veg for carrots. Carrots are pretty nutritious and helps add variety to a diet. I get cooked carrots once in awhile. I’m not a big fan of the orange root vegetable, but it is part of a balanced diet. I would have said something if my daughters asked for carrots all the time. But that never happened. Does any kid really, really love carrots? > [@FrankJBN](#): > > “If you follow your rule and get carrots and mashed potatoes” > > and this combination follows the white and green rule because …? > [@](#): > > The carrot gets its characteristic and bright orange colour from β-carotene, which is partly metabolised into vitamin A in humans.[13][14] Massive overconsumption of carrots can cause carotenosis, a benign condition in which the skin turns orange. Carrots are also rich in dietary fibre, antioxidants, and minerals. > **[Carrot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrot)** > > The carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) is a root vegetable, typically orange in colour, though heirloom variants including purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild carrot, Daucus carota, native to Europe and Southwestern Asia. The plant probably originated in Iran and was originally cultivated for its leaves and seeds. > The carrot is a biennial plant in the umbellifer family, Apiaceae. World production of carrots (combined wi... ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-follow-the-eat-one-white-and-one-green-vegetable-rule-for-yourself-and-kids/649174/51 "2013-02-06T15:51:30Z")
You needed an option for “Never heard of this ‘rule.’”. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-follow-the-eat-one-white-and-one-green-vegetable-rule-for-yourself-and-kids/649174/52 "2013-02-06T16:03:59Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > That’s a good point that restaurants make it easier for parents. There’s always a white and green side on whatever combination dinners they sell. Not at my local IHOP. Unless you consider the pancakes to be the white veg and the bacon to be the green veg. Also since it hasn’t been mentioned yet you really should have added a “Never heard of this rule” option. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-follow-the-eat-one-white-and-one-green-vegetable-rule-for-yourself-and-kids/649174/53 "2013-02-06T16:35:05Z")
When I was kid, I don’t ever remember eating out. At home, Mom would always have a green veggie cooked. Usually green beans, but also peas, lima beans, spinach or broccoli. And always there was cole slaw on my plate. I think Mom bought a cabbage every week and would make a blender full of coleslaw. Mom also canned her own applesauce each fall and that was usually a side-dish. We did not eat a traditional tossed salad very often unless fresh veggies were available. Entrees? Usually a meatloaf or baked chicken. Sunday dinner was almost always a roast beef or steak. with a baked potato. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-follow-the-eat-one-white-and-one-green-vegetable-rule-for-yourself-and-kids/649174/54 "2013-02-07T01:49:39Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I would have said something if my daughters asked for carrots all the time. But that never happened. Does any kid really, really love carrots? At one point my parents limited one of my sisters to no more than 1 pound of carrots per day - she was going through about 10 pounds a week all on her own. So yes, at least one kid really, really loved carrots (she still does, but now has an adult’s understanding of moderation. She hasn’t turned orange yet.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-still-follow-the-eat-one-white-and-one-green-vegetable-rule-for-yourself-and-kids/649174.md?page=2)