National Nutrition Month: Go Further with Food

Sharon Palmer RD

Published on March 2, 2018

Get ready to go further with food! I’m celebrating National Nutrition Month in March with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics—the leading nutrition organization in the world, of which I am a member. And this year’s theme is all about how you can go further with food, by making your food choices more sustainable, packing your diet with more nutrients, and enjoying the delicious, healthful flavors of real food. So, take a more meaningful look at your diet this month and check out My Top 5 Ways to Go Further with Food.

My Top 5 Ways to Go Further with Food

*Savory Steel Cut Oats with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Tofu*

1. Eat a Plant-Packed Breakfast. Start your morning with a healthy balanced breakfast, including a protein source (beans, tofu, tempeh, nuts, seeds), whole grains (oats, quinoa, whole grain bread), soy milk, fruits and vegetables (yes, even veggies!). One of my favorite healthy, plant-based breakfast meals is this Savory Steel Cut Oats with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Tofu.

2. Cut Food Waste. One of the greenest things you can do for your eating style is to trim your food waste, which squanders about 40% of all food produced in the country. Pack up those leftovers, keep an eye on foods that are perishable, and buy only what you need for the week.

3. Make Your Food Choices Count. Every time you choose nutrient-poor foods—white bagels, chips, candy—you are missing out on an opportunity to flood your body with nutrients. So, pack every bite with powerful foods—pulses, whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, fruits, and veggies. Try one of my favorite power-packed recipes for Winter Berry Smoothie Bowl.

4. Eat Just Enough. Another sustainable choice you can make is to avoid over-eating. Just think about it: every time you eat too much, you are essentially “wasting” food, because you are eating food that your body doesn’t need. Plus, you get the negative effect of packing it away as stored fat in your body. Just save that extra bit of food you don’t need for tomorrow instead!

5. Enjoy Food! Food is something to be celebrated and savored. Food traditions, handed down through the generations, are worth truly enjoying. So, slow down a little, take a few extra minutes to cook something just a little bit special, and treasure the flavors of real food. Check out this story of my own food traditions, here.

Get more advice for healthy eating this month here.

Image: French Green Lentil Salad with Cherry Tomatoes from Plant-Powered for Life, Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN