It can be hard to get kindergartners to eat their vegetables, so Ashley Sternberg, co-leader of a newly founded Girl Scout Daisy troop, decided to give her girls a challenge: to “eat the rainbow.”

The troop met Dec. 5 in the back room of New Seasons. With the store’s full-time nutritionist, the girls tried healthy, different colored foods and discussed “how it is important to be strong, and it takes courage to make healthy decisions sometimes.”

The troop members, some of which are picky eaters, earned their “courageous and strong” petal by completing the challenge and trying cherry tomatoes, lemons, mangos, blueberries, eggplant and even spinach, which was a hit, Sternberg said.

“All of the girls said they liked it,” she said.

They also learned about how different colors have different health benefits; for example, red foods are good for your heart, bladder and brain, Sternberg said.

There are 11 girls in the troop, which is also led by Judie Jaeger.

For the troop’s next event, the girls are meeting with the Aljoya book club. Last month, the troop made bookmarks using leaves from Mercer Island, and on Jan. 15, the girls will distribute their bookmarks as gifts to the members, buddy up and read a book together.

Ori Talby and Juliette Lowe participate in their Daisy troop’s “eat the rainbow” challenge on Dec. 5 at New Seasons. Photo courtesy of Ashley Sternberg

Daphne Piteira, Grace Zahler, Lucy Sternberg and Milana Jaeger make faces after trying a lemon. Photo courtesy of Ashley Sternberg