March is National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month, this is a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the American Dietetic Association (ADA). The campaign is designed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. NNM also promotes ADA and its members to the public and the media as the most valuable and credible source of timely, scientifically based food and nutrition information.

To ensure that you are eating a healthy diet, follow these simple steps:

Choose From All The Food Groups

Balanced nutrition is very important. In order to do this you must be sure to eat a variety of nutrient-packed foods every day. A healthy eating plan:

• Emphasizes on choosing plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. Click Here for 10 tips to eat more vegetables.
• Also includes some lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts.
• Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars. Click Here to get Healthy Shopping tips and easy steps on how to read food labels.
• Includes water and avoids sugary drinks

If you want 10 tips on Building a Better Meal, Click Here.

 
Snack Smart: Base snacks on whole grains, fruits, nonfat dairy & lean protein
Here are some Healthy Snack Ideas 

• Raw Vegetables
• Fresh Fruit
• Baked Potato
• Light/low-fat yogurt
• Pita Pocket w/lean meat and/or veggies
• Broth Soups- avoid heavy cream soups

Pick this 100 Calorie Snack Not That:

Balance Good Nutrition with Physical Activity
Regular physical activity is imortant for your overall health and fitness and it also helps control body weight, promotes a feeling of well-being and reduces the risk of chronic diseases

• Be physically active for at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
• For greater health benefits and to help control body weight, be physically active for about 60 minutes each day.
• Children and teenagers should be physically active for 60 minutes every day, or most days of the week

Food Safety is important:
Prepare, handle, and store food properly to keep you and your family safe.

• Clean hands, food-contact surfaces, fruits, and vegetables.
• Separte raw, cooked, and ready-to-eat foods while shopping, preparing, or storing
• Cook meat, poultry, and fish to safe internal temperatures to kill micro-organisms.
• Chill perishable foods quickly and thaw food properly.

Nutrition Resources:
Webmd.com
ChooseMyPlate.gov
SparkPeople.com
www.eatright.org
USDA National Nutrient Database