National Nutrition Month 2021

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March is National Nutrition Month. Each year, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics chooses a focus for that year’s National Nutrition Month. This year, the focus is “Personalize Your Plate.” They created a week-by-week list of how to participate and work towards personalizing your plate.


Week 1: Variety

The focus during this first week is similar to MyPlate since the main point is to include foods from each food group. This week also focuses on hydration, enjoying food without distractions, and reading nutrition facts.


Week 2: Plan Ahead

This second week focuses on planning ahead to improve the nutritional content of your meals. While a big focus is to choose healthy meals for the week and create a grocery list to shop for those meals, this week also reminds you to plan ahead for traveling and make smart menu choices when eating out.


Week 3: Learn New Cooking Skills

The focus of the third week is to increase your skills in the kitchen. You can do this through trying new flavors, foods, and cooking methods. Practicing proper food safety and reducing food waste also contribute to success in the kitchen. 


Week 4: Talk to a RDN

Week four encourages you to meet with a RDN to receive more personalized goals and nutrition advice. This last week also promotes the power of food and nutrition in your overall wellbeing.


National Nutrition Month is a great reminder of practices that we should incorporate into our lives every day. The week-to-week breakdown of different focuses is a great place to start rather than being overwhelmed with changes. Visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website: https://www.eatright.org/food/resources/national-nutrition-month for more information.


-BC


Resources:
https://www.eatright.org/food/resources/national-nutrition-month

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