National Nutrition Month is all about making smart, educated choices around food, healthy eating and physical activity. It’s an annual 4-week campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) designed to help people live better and healthier! This year’s theme is Celebrate a World of Flavors and focuses on eating a variety of flavors and nutrient-dense foods, taking control of your own health and health goals, meal planning and meal prep, and trying out new recipes to cook in your own home!
The major goal behind the Celebrate a World of Flavor theme is to invite people to explore cultural foods and traditions from around the world and create healthful eating habits that celebrate our own heritage while incorporating new foods and flavors into our diets. National Nutrition Month is broken up into 4 weeks of challenges, each with their own focus:
- Week 1: Eat a variety of nutritious foods
- Week 2: See a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)
- Week 3: Plan your meals and snacks
- Week 4: Create tasty foods at home
Waverley Oaks Athletic Club invites you to take part in National Nutrition Month, and to spread the word! Here are some of our favorite ways to incorporate this year’s theme and weekly challenges into our daily or weekly routines:
- Build a better plate: Combine flavors, textures and macronutrients to stimulate your palate and keep you satisfied longer. Think bitter + sweet, crunchy + creamy, and proteins + fats + carbs.
- Don’t go it alone: Hire a specialist to help you meet your health goals. Whether it’s working with a trainer or a RDN, often times having a support system is the most sustainable way to create lasting change and keep you accountable. Email nutrition@waverleyoaks.com to set up an appointment with one of our skilled dietitians!
- Choose nutrient-rich foods: The key to a healthful diet is choosing a variety of whole foods, and not trying to overhaul our eating patterns and food choices all at once. Start simply by incorporating more color into your meals, swapping out refined carbohydrates for whole-grain sources, and choosing lean protein sources (fish, poultry, lentils, tofu) over red and processed meats more often. Check out these tips for choosing a nutrient-rich diet.
- Map out weekly recipes: Find nutrient-dense recipes and snack ideas online or with your registered dietitian, and build your grocery list around the recipe ingredients. Try making just one or two new recipes a week to get the ball rolling – focusing on new flavors, spices or foods that you might not be used to!
For more information on the National Nutrition Month and how to get involved, visit the AND website here!
Content submitted by Jessica Roy MS, RD, LDN Waverley Oaks Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Counselor, and Caroline Meyer, Nutrition Intern