A few years ago, a magazine editor asked me to write about the 10 “best” foods for families. How could I choose? No one food supplies everything the body needs, and each food brings its own unique combination of important nutrients. Then I came up with the idea of “magic carpet” foods, foods that are important because they “carry” other nutritious foods with them.
Breakfast cereal is one of my favorite magic carpet foods. A fortified cereal such as Whole Grain Total is a terrific food on its own–it supplies fiber and 100 percent of the daily value for 12 different vitamins and minerals. Eat it topped with milk and fresh fruit, or layer it in a parfait with yogurt, berries and nuts, and you have an even more nutrient-packed meal.
Pizza crust is another favorite because it can carry a variety of foods on it. It’s easy to make your own, or you can buy dough or ready-baked crust at your market. Spread your dough with tomato sauce and you’ve added lycopene, a plant compound that gives tomatoes their red color and that may help boost health. “Decorate your crust with plenty of vegetables to add to the goal of...