Eat Well
Go Green for National Nutrition Month®
Feb 15, 2017
By Dylan Bailey, MS Candidate
With Saint Patrick’s Day right around the corner on March 17th, it’s time to start getting all things “green” on your radar. March may be known as the month of leprechauns and the beginning of a new season, but it is also National Nutrition Month® (NNM) – a yearly tradition hosted by The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that spotlights the importance of making healthier food choices and physical activity. Now you can wear your greens and eat them too all month long!
Put Your Best Fork Forward
This year’s National Nutrition Month theme is to “Put Your Best Fork Forward,” as a reminder that each bite counts and to motivate us to implement small changes that can add up over time. As you’re cooking up a delicious meal for the table, be sure to Put Your Best Fork Forward on your journey to a healthier lifestyle.
Get Home-Inspired
Planning to cook and eat more meals together at home as a family is a perfect way to begin making healthier strides forward. In fact, doing the opposite by eating meals away from home, whether at a restaurant or friend’s house, can be associated with higher fat and caloric intake as well as lower micronutrient intake (such as Vitamin C and iron). That’s more reason than ever to share the joys of cooking and eating as a family at home this NNM.
Celebrate all month long with a nutrient-packed home cooked meal that is simple to make, like this Pea and Green Bean Rice Medley made with Libby’s® Sweet Peas Cups and Libby’s® Cut Green Beans Vegetable Cups. Peas and green beans are packed with ingredients for a healthier you, like fiber, protein and several essential vitamins and minerals.
Luck of the Green
Even on St. Patrick’s Day, you can participate in NNM by “being green” the healthy way. Prepare this festive Shepherd’s Pie with Lemony Green Beans, filled with delectable flavors and a variety of Libby’s® vegetables. This recipe serves 8 so you may want to invite your friends over to spread the love and enjoy this Irish-themed feast together. Too much green is never a bad thing!
For more ideas on how you can participate in NNM, check out these 36 great ideas by the Academy to get involved! You can also learn more about National Nutrition Month and how to Put Your Best Fork Forward by visiting http://www.eatright.org/resources/national-nutrition-month.