Have you been thinking of more ways to incorporate healthier foods into your diet? Have you gotten stuck on how to sort through all the different nutrition plans? If that’s the case, have no fear! National Nutrition Month is here to provide resources, recipes and additional information on great places to start.

The theme for National Nutrition Month 2021 is “Personalize your Plate.” The campaign, celebrated each year during March, focuses on the importance of making informed food choices. 

You might be asking yourself, “how do I start making better choices for myself and those around me?” It might not be as hard as you think. Creating an eating plan that helps manage your health includes eating a variety of foods. Keep this in mind: Add an array of colors to your plate and think of it as eating a rainbow. Dark, leafy greens, oranges and tomatoes – even fresh herbs – are loaded with vitamins, fiber and minerals. Adding frozen peppers, broccoli or onions to stews or omelets gives them a quick boost of color and nutrients.

If you’re not sure where to start, consider using the Native Plate method. It’s a nutritional tool designed to show balanced meals with reasonable portion sizes. It suggests to fill half your plate with vegetables and the other half split between a grain/starch and protein. 

Making long lasting changes to your eating habits requires a thoughtful approach in which you “reflect, replace, reinforce and relax.”

– Reflect on all of your specific eating habits, both good and bad.

– Replace your unhealthy eating habits with healthier ones, referencing the methods above

– Reinforce your new, healthier eating habits in everyday life 

– Relax as you focus on the “better” and not the “perfect”

Remember that starting small is okay. Minor food swaps can make your meals and snacks healthier. Look for opportunities throughout your meals to add more fruits and vegetables onto your plate! Consult your local dietician for more.

Be sure to stay updated this week as we provide further resources on Native Plate, yummy recipes and which snacks are best when you’re craving something quick!