By NILOFER COUTURE, RD, MPH, CDCES, LDN
CIHA (Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority) clinical nutrition manager
National Nutrition Month® is an annual campaign established by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. During the month of March, everyone is invited to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits.
This year’s theme is “Beyond the Table,” which addresses the farm-to-fork aspect of nutrition, from food production and distribution to navigating grocery stores and farmers markets. It also describes the various ways we eat and includes sustainability. We are encouraged to look Beyond the Table when thinking about our health and the environment and reminded that the choices we make daily, including what we eat and drink, can make a big difference — both now and in the future.
School and family meals are important, but healthy choices go beyond the foods and drinks we enjoy while sitting at the lunch or dinner table. They include our snacks, breakfasts on the go, eating out with friends, and even where foods are grown and how they’re prepared.
Here are a few tips to help look beyond the table:
First, focus on a healthy eating routine. Making healthy food choices may seem difficult at times, especially when eating away from home, but it doesn’t have to be. Many eating places provide nutrition information right on the menu or online to help you choose healthier options. When purchasing food from a store, use a grocery list and pay attention to sales.
Second, learn what’s involved in growing your food. Visit local farms or farmers markets and talk to people who are growing and harvesting your food. You can also grow your own fruits and vegetables at home. If you want to try gardening but have limited space, grow herbs and vegetables like tomatoes in pots. If you’re not ready to get your hands dirty, you can participate in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) for a season to receive weekly prepaid food boxes.
Join the Nutrition Department at the hospital to participate in Meatless Monday choices in the cafe, win a prize on Nutrition Trivia Tuesday, attend a cooking demo on a Wednesday, taste a unique and/or healthy food in the café during lunch on Taste Test Thursday and Ease into Exercise on your lunch break on Fridays! Have you kept up with your New Year resolutions? You could do it this month! Join us!
Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics
CIHA Nutrition Dept.: Kate Morrow, Madi Rose, Alyssa Robinson, Susan Boekel, and Nilofer Couture
