Our busy lives mean that we often grab food on the go, and often that food isn’t the healthiest.  This March, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics wants you to consider eating right, your way, every day, in observance of National Nutrition Month.

For this, the 40^th annual National Nutrition Month, Americans are being encouraged to plan ahead and develop a healthful eating plan to make it easier for us all to fit healthy eating into our busy lives. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics encourages your meal plan to reflect your own personal tastes, culture and traditions.

To help you eat healthier, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has some helpful tips:

• Eat Breakfast: A breakfast full of lean protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables gives you a healthy and energy packed start to your day.
• Fix Healthy Snacks: Instead of reaching for chips or a candy bar when you feel that 3:00pm low, plan ahead and bring along a healthy snack from home.  Low-fat yogurt, dried fruit and low-fat cheese and crackers make for good energy boost without the fat and sugar.
• Get to Know Food Labels: Food labels can be confusing and sometimes misleading, for example, do you know the difference between “reduced fat” and “low fat”? Visit the National Nutrition Month website for tips on how to read nutrition labels.
• Manage Portion Sizes: Knowing how much is enough can be tricky.  A good rule of thumb is that salads and vegetables should take up half of your plate.  One quarter of the remaining space should be low-fat protein and the remaining quarter should be starches.

Want to know more?

National Nutrition Month

Choose MyPlate