Celebrating National Nutrition Month this March
| 2 min read
Sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, this March is the 48th anniversary of National Nutrition Month. This year’s theme, “Personalize Your Plate,” encourages personalized healthy eating styles and recognizes that food preferences, lifestyle, cultural and ethnic traditions, and health concerns all impact individual food choices.
We are all unique individuals, so there is no one-size-fits-all diet plan. Whether you are single and always on the go, with a family, follow a vegetarian diet or have health goals due to different health concerns, there is a way for you to establish healthy eating habits.
Always on the go
- Think ahead and try to plan what you are going to eat – if you dine out often, check restaurant websites before you go to pick healthier option and make yourself more aware. Also try splitting meals or taking half of your food to go when dining out.
- Pack some healthy non-perishable food items with you, such as granola or cereal bars, fresh fruit, whole grain crackers, nuts or trail mix.
Family
- Get the family involved. For example, have your kids make the salad for dinner while you are preparing other foods.
- Collect some simple, family friendly recipes that you can go to in a pinch.
Vegetarian or Vegan
- Include beans and legumes to your diet for some protein. Better yet, have your beans and legumes with a whole grain food to make a complete protein. For example, red beans and brown rice or black beans in a whole wheat tortilla.
- Vegetarians consume plenty of fruits and vegetable, but sometimes choose the same ones all the time. Be sure to add a rainbow of color to your day so you get plenty of different vitamins and minerals.
Have you hugged your registered dietitian?
Registered dietitians play a critical role in helping people eat right, their way, every day. To celebrate, the sixth annual Registered Dietitian Day is March 13 and hopes to increase awareness of registered dietitians (RDs) as the indispensable providers of food and nutrition services. This day also recognizes RDs for their commitment to helping people enjoy healthy lives.
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