Mood-boosting foods | Greater Green Bay YMCA Skip to main content

Tip: Stave off the winter blues by loading up on foods that elevate your mood, fight depression, prevent seasonal affective disorder and add color to the dark, cold days of winter.

The holidays have passed, the novelty of the new year is wearing off and the days are cold and dark. For many of us, the winter doldrums bring the winter blues. Don’t wait until spring to add color to your days! Fill your plate with a rainbow of mood-boosting foods to elevate your spirits and bring a blast of color to winter’s whites and greys. The foods you eat have a powerful impact on your mood. When you eat colorful, nutritionally uplifting foods, you can beat the winter blues right at your dining room table.

Eat a Rainbow

Against the backdrop of winter’s greys and whites, a burst of color on your plate enlivens your senses and takes you on a culinary vacation to warmer climes. The color of a food reflects which nutrients it contains, so eating an array of colorful fruits and vegetables ensures you are getting the full spectrum of nutrients and antioxidants to keep you energized and buoyant through the dark winter months. Incorporate these colorful mood-boosters in your winter meals:

  • Pomegranates
  • Citrus
  • Winter squash
  • Tropical fruits, like mango and pineapple
  • Kale
  • Frozen berries
  • Purple cabbage

By the Chef Marshall O’Brien Group