March is National Nutrition Month (NNM), and that’s very
exciting (to dietitians anyway)! But what does it mean? Well, National
Nutrition Month is a campaign created annually by the Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics. It started as National Nutrition Week 1973 and quickly grew to a
full month by 1980. Each year since, NNM has been used to promote health
related themes in order to showcase the importance of healthful nutrition and
physical activity habits. As you may have guessed from the title of this blog,
this year’s theme is “Go Further With Food!”
Now, you may be wondering what this means. I had the same
question when I heard the theme, but after a little digging I’ve come to learn
more. What is meant by Go Further With Food is really looking at how we can
utilize food to help our bodies go further every day, as well as how we can
make food go further in order to reduce food waste. Both of these things can be
challenging, but I’m here to provide you with the tools to improve each of
these areas of your life!
Let’s start by taking a look at how food can be used by our
bodies to go further. Sometimes we may think of food as calorie laden monsters
that makes our clothes a little snugger, but I promise you it’s so much more
than that. Every time we eat, food helps our bodies go further by providing us
with energy to use as fuel for our infinite body processes. Without food, we
couldn’t do a whole lot.
To help you with ideas on how to go further with food each
day, here are my current favorite tips:
1. Power up with Breakfast. So simple, yet so
important. Do you currently eat breakfast? If not, how do you feel in the
mornings? If you’re someone who feels sluggish even after your second (or third)
cup of coffee, breakfast may help! Eating a balanced breakfast in the morning
provides you with energy (calories = good) to fuel your morning, help you feel
more alert, and may even increase productivity! If you find you aren’t hungry
in the morning, take into consideration how much you’re eating in the evening.
If we are eating more than our bodies need, that can account for a lack of
hunger in the morning. Try having a little less at night (but not so little
that you are hungry when you go to sleep), and see if your hunger shows up
again in the morning.
2. Eat a fruit and/or vegetable at each meal.
Ideally, the “goal” is to fill half of our plates with fruits and veggies at
each meal. However, I know that can be a lofty goal to start with. Instead, try
to have at least one serving at each meal. I know “eat your fruits and
vegetables” is probably exhausting to hear over and over again, but we only say
it because they provide our bodies with so many wonderful vitamins, minerals,
and fiber, helping us thrive!
3. Move your body! Finding some way to move our
bodies each day is infinitely beneficial to our health. You don’t have to hit
the gym, unless you like doing so. It can be as easy as taking a walk after
dinner (now that it’s getting nice out!), or playing with your kids. Find what
you enjoy and works for your lifestyle.
Ok, now that we have a better understanding of that, how can
we make the food we buy and eat go further? Food waste is prominent in our
society, and it is estimated that billions of pounds of food is wasted each
year in the US alone (roughly 300 lbs of food waste per person!). Thankfully, we
can help decrease this number! Food waste is not only hard on the economy, but
also on our wallets. When we let food go to waste, we are also wasting our
hard-earned money, and I know none of us like to throw money away J
In order to decrease food waste, here are some things I have
found helpful:
1. Take inventory of the foods you have in your
refrigerator and pantry before going to the grocery store. If any of the items
are expiring within the next few days, build meals using those ingredients.
That way they won’t go to waste, and your grocery bill will be lower! That’s
what we call a win-win.
2. Eat your leftovers! I know this may sound
boring, but if you frequently have food leftover from meals, eating it is a
great way to waste less. You don’t have to eat it the next day, but maybe
alternate between a couple meals each week instead of having something
different every night.
3. Repurpose your leftovers. If the thought of
eating the same meal twice in one week makes you cringe, try turning the
leftovers into something else. If you made tacos, but don’t want to have tacos
again, try mixing in your leftovers with some eggs for a spicy breakfast
option. Or add them to a salad and use a different dressing for a new flavor
profile. It doesn’t have to be tacos every night (though, I personally wouldn’t
mind J).
Use your leftovers however they appeal to you, and you’ll find you’re throwing
less food away, and saving money in the meantime.
I hope you found this helpful, and are as excited about
National Nutrition Month as I am! Try the recipe below from our latest issue of
Balance magazine, and let me know if you come up with a creative way to use
your leftovers!
Sweet Potato and Egg Oven Bake
Total time: 40 minutes
Serves: 5
All you need:
Hy-Vee no-stick cooking spray
1 large sweet potato, peeled and
cut into chunks
12 oz. Brussels sprouts, trimmed
and halved
2 Tbsp. Hy-Vee Select olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ancho chili powder
Hy-Vee salt and black pepper, to
taste
1 (15-oz.) can Hy-Vee black
beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup Hy-Vee frozen corn
1 red bell pepper, seeded and
cut into 5 rings
5 Hy-Vee large eggs
Cilantro leaves, for garnish
All you do:
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray a 15x10-in. baking
pan with no-stick cooking spray; set aside.
2. Place sweet potato and Brussels sprouts on
prepared pan. Add olive oil, garlic and chili powder to vegetables; toss gently
to coat. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Roast for 15 minutes.
3. Remove pan from oven. Add black beans and corn.
Use a large spoon to create 5 indentations in vegetables; place a red pepper
ring in each. Gently crack an egg into each pepper ring, keeping the yolk
intact. Season eggs with additional salt and black pepper.
4. Return pan to oven and bake to 10 to 12 minutes
or until egg whites are set. Garnish with cilantro, if desired. Enjoy!
-Dietitian Melissa
No comments:
Post a Comment