Celebrating National Nutrition Month with the Whole Family

The weather is beginning to warm up, making many people look forward to spending more time outside.  This may include going for walks or bike rides, playing with the kids, or getting into the garden. Warmer weather can also inspire us to try new foods or recipes that represent the season.

During the month of March, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, or www.eatright.org, focuses their efforts on inviting the public to learn about making informed food choices as well as developing healthy eating and physical activity habits.  This year, their theme is “Food Connects Us.” Food is a connecting factor for many; it connects us to our cultures, our families, and our friends. Sharing a meal is an opportunity to learn about its preparation, the people who made it, and the origin of the ingredients. Health, memories, traditions, seasons, and access can all impact our relationship with food.

So, how can you connect with food, and what are some tips for healthy, successful meals that you can share with others?

Connecting with Food

There are a variety of ways we can each connect more with our food. These include:

• Preparing your own meals and snacks.
• Using a grocery list when purchasing food to pay attention to prices: when food is less processed, it’s often more affordable.
• Learning about resources in your community that offer access to healthy foods.
• Visiting a farmer’s market to ask about how your food was grown or raised.
• Starting a home or community garden to get hands-on experience with the growing process.

How can you connect with others in your lives through food?

• You can learn about the traditions or history behind what you’re eating as well as learn about how the ingredients you eat were grown or raised are just a few ways to connect with food.
  • Whether a food is traditional or new to you, learning more about how and why it’s prepared can be a valuable experience.  It may help build a connection to the person who prepared it, teach you about sustainability, or provide you with information about how it affects your health.

• By preparing your own meals, it makes it easier to control the ingredients and their amounts.  It’s also a wonderful chance for children and teenagers to interact with the food they eat and build healthy eating habits for life.

Smart Tips for Successful Meals

Preparing food at home can be a great way to save money, express creativity, and stay on track with healthful eating. However, cooking can also be a challenge for many people.

With a few tips and tools, cooking at home becomes a little bit easier for everyone!

Keep a Well-Stocked Pantry

If you don’t have time to plan meals some days or have unexpected guests, a well-stocked pantry can relieve some of the pressure when it comes time to make a meal. Keep the following on hand for quick, easy-to-fx dishes:

Shelf Stable Products

• Dried or canned beans, peas, and lentils (such as black, garbanzo, kidney, white, and pinto beans; green, yellow, or split peas and lentils)
• Canned vegetables with no added salt (such as diced tomatoes, peas, green beans, and corn)
• Whole grains (such as brown rice, quinoa, oats, millet and whole-grain pasta)
• Pouches or canned fish and chicken
• Olive, canola, or other vegetable oils
• Dried herbs and spices

Frozen Foods

• Vegetables (such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and brussels sprouts)
• Fruit (such as berries, cherries, and bananas)
• Whole wheat pizza dough
• Frozen poultry or seafood
   

Don’t Stress

You don’t need to be a master chef in order to whip up something tasty and nutritious! You can create healthy and tasty meals without a recipe.

For example:

• Baked fish with sautéed veggies and rice
• Black bean and vegetable burrito
• Scrambled eggs with cheese, salsa, and whole grain toast

If you don’t have an ingredient, try substituting it with something similar:

• Making black bean burgers but running short on black beans? Try them with pinto beans instead.
• Having pasta but forgot the sauce? Toss together canned tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil, and season it with herbs to provide that extra flavor.
• If you’re missing sour cream, plain Greek yogurt can be used in its place in chili, on potatoes, and in baked goods.
• Cauliflower can replace broccoli in casseroles and soups.

Mix and Match

These easy combinations pair well and contain many items you may already have on hand:

• Whole grain pasta with garbanzo beans and canned tomatoes, seasoned with basil and served with a medley of microwaved frozen vegetables on the side.
• Quinoa with black beans, corn, and bell pepper, dressed with olive oil and lime juice.
• Salad with lettuce, hard-boiled eggs, tuna, tomatoes, and olives and dressed with a little olive oil and vinegar.
• Soup using grilled or baked chicken, low-sodium broth, veggies, and brown rice.