National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education and information campaign created annually in March by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The campaign focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.
This year’s theme, “Eat Right, Bite by Bite,” highlights that good nutrition isn’t restrictive or overwhelming. Rather, every little bit (or bite!) of nutrition is a good step in the right direction. This year, there’s even a focus of topics for each week – we, the Academy, will be hosting a live twitter chat every Wednesday, at 1 pm EST, so join us!
Every year I post about National Nutrition Month in order to draw attention to how important nutrition is, but the truth is I’m always teaching about nutrition, it is my job. But I do think it’s great to come together in one defined month to draw even more awareness – so stay tuned through the whole month on my IG for more posts and stories and all things nutrition!
I always start my presentations in the community in different ways (ice breaker, quick story), but recently I’ve been posing a question to the group.
““If there were one change you could make (with your diet, the food that you eat) that you know would help you feel better, what would it be?””
When I present I throw out a LOT of ideas where people can reflect to see what they can do to improve/change their diet. And some people start writing down all the changes they want to make and some people get frustrated (I can see it on their faces) and throw their hands up in the air because they just don’t know where to start. So by starting off with my question, to think of just one change, it makes it not only more realistic, but also something people are willing to do. It really is a marathon and not a sprint when it comes to making changes. And as this year’s National Nutrition Month® theme says, “Every little bit (or bite!) of nutrition is a good step in the right direction!”
Throughout this post I’ve been sharing pictures with my small changes/additions that I’ve been making since the new year.
- I continue to try and experiment with new foods. Butterfly Pea Powder and now the leaves (to make a caffeine free tea). Whether I’m making a delicious tart (with the powder) or simply making a drink concoction, the butterfly pea gives off a beautiful hue of blue, naturally. It’s been fun experimenting. More to come!
- Microgreens. I’ve always wanted to start an herb garden, but let’s face it, I do not have a green thumb. I’ve been buying microgreens at the local farmer’s market about every other week. I stopped to talk to the vendor this past week and he tried to convince me it really isn’t that hard to do. And almost any veggie will sprout. So to start trying to grow my own? Or to simply continue to incorporate. Hmmmmm…
- Sourdough – I had a starter for sourdough a couple of years back. I did make lots of homemade bread with it, but then one day, I felt like the starter had gone bad. It’s really hot here in the summer in Miami, so probably not the best time to have started it, and I really think I had some mold growing in. And mind you that could have been the S.C.O.B.Y., symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, but I’m really not sure at this point. But what I am sure of is that Zak the Baker, a local baker here in Miami makes divine sourdough. So until I decide if I’ll take another crack at starting a sourdough, I’ve been buying Zak’s bread. And for now, that’s a step in the right direction.
- Flowering Chives – aka the new veggie of the month that I tried. There have been fruits – canistel and jaboticaba, and veggies – these chives and Chinese cauliflower – but I really want to make it more routine to include fruits and veggies that are outside the box. Not the standard ones I always eat. And while I like to think I do rotate my fruits and veggies, I think to some extent we’re all a little creature of habit. So here’s to continuing to try new fruits and veggies this year. These chives are so delicious with a quick sauté. Simple, easy, and delicious. Now to think of what to try next!
- New Recipes – I continue to explore in the kitchen with new recipes. These desserts were a vegan dessert I made for my brother at his birthday. From the raw cookie “dough” to the coconut cream and chia jam inside, all the way to the chocolate ganache on top, creating new recipes is my way of channeling some of my inner creativity. I’ve recently been working on only perfecting a few dessert recipes. But the truth is I’m always writing down the recipes that are in my routine that I do for an easy go-to. So more recipes to share coming through the year!
I share my small changes not for you to think that’s what you have to do, but rather to show you that even I as a dietitian can (and should) continue to make changes bite by bite to improve my health and how I feel. I hope throughout this month you see some inspiring posts, recipes, and more from other dietitians and decide how you might make a small change that can lead to big results! Happy National Nutrition Month®
