What is National Nutrition Month®? An annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (aka The Academy). The Academy is is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. I’ve been a member of this organization for 15 years. In March, the Academy focuses on attention on healthful eating through National Nutrition Month.
This year’s theme, Personalize Your Plate, is a theme I can easily identify with because it promotes creating nutritious meals to meet people’s cultural and personal food preferences. My food choices may look different from your food choices and that’s okay. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition and health. Everyone is unique with different bodies, goals, backgrounds, and tastes. As a registered dietitian nutritionist, I create personalized eating plans to fit my client’s nutritional needs. No cookie-cutter approach with me.
I want to share 5 tips to boost your nutrition in the month of March and beyond:
- Cook with dried spices and fresh herbs instead of salt to add flavor to dishes.
- Try different grains such as wild rice, whole-grain farro, and whole-grain barley.
- Go meatless: Serve up beans or lentils for a heart healthful plant-based protein.
Red lentil soup is easy to cook and delicious.
- Sprinkle chia or ground flax seeds on cereal, salad, toast, or yogurt to increase consumption of omega-3 fatty acids.
- Enjoy vegetables in different forms—eat raw veggies such as baby carrots, and mini sweet peppers with hummus, or try them roasted, grilled, steamed, or sauteed.
Nutritionally Yours,
Jerlyn Jones MS, MPA, RDN, LD, CLT
