Celebrating National Nutrition Month by Fueling the Future

Moving into March we begin the celebration of National Nutrition Month! This campaign, created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, is used to promote healthy eating and positive activity habits. A new theme each year is built with this year’s theme being, “Fuel for the Future”.

The drive during this March is to promote fueling our bodies and keeping the environment in mind. So how can we help fuel the future?

Here are 20 ways to make adjustments in your life to support your health and protect the environment, associated with food.

Try “Meatless Monday”
- Substituting a meat product for a plate-based protein source like beans/legumes, soy or nuts/seeds.
- Here is a great black bean burger recipe that I enjoy: check it out by clicking here.
Shop at your local farmer’s market.
Buy food items in season.
- For the month of March in Pennsylvania try to shop for lettuce, mushrooms and potatoes.
Use your own grocery bags at the store.
Start brainstorming on planting a garden at your home.
- I typically plant my garden around Mother’s Day each year and it includes basil, mint, tomatoes, and peppers. I always dream of growing a pumpkin, but never have. Maybe this is my year!
- If you don’t have a yard? No worries! Try planting some herbs or veggies in pots on a porch or deck or have some herbs growing on your windowsill in the kitchen.
Purchase foods with minimal packaging.
When packing your lunch/snacks, transition from plastic storage bags to containers/reusable bags.
See what food you have at home before purchasing more to avoid waste.
Use a grocery store list to help you avoid overbuying.
Drink water out of a reusable water bottle.
Look into joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).
- If you want to learn more about what this is, check out our previous blog by clicking here.
Buy in bulk to reduce the amount of plastic, paper, metal, and energy used to package items.
Think about what you need before opening the refrigerator/freezer to help with conserving energy.
If you are going to use disposable silverware or cups, pick those that can be recycled or composed.
Try composting some of your food waste.
Only run the dishwasher when it is full.
Think ahead when trying to thaw frozen food to avoid using running water to defrost these items.
Cook in larger quantities and freeze them in portioned meals to save energy.
Cover a pot or skillet to cook food items more quickly to reduce the use of gas/electric.
Repair leaks and drips in the kitchen to avoid wasting water.

What are you going to give a try to help fuel the future? Let us know by commenting on this blog! We love to hear from you.

Happy National Nutrition Month!

This blog was written by Amanda J, Stahl, RD, LDN, co-founder of Simple Start Nutrition. For more blog posts and nutrition information follow @simplestartnutrition on Instagram and Facebook. Also feel free to contact us, by visiting our website (simplestartnutrition.com) to schedule an appointment to discuss your nutrition related needs. We are here to help.

References:

https://www.eatright.org/food/planning/food-security-and-sustainability/6-tips-to-lighten-your-carbon-foodprint

https://farmtotablepa.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/FTT-Seasonal-Calendar.pdf

https://www.eatright.org/national-nutrition-month-2023