March is National Nutrition Month, and Food $ense invites you to celebrate good food and good health with us. We are dedicated to healthy eating all year long, but sometimes it’s easier to start small and focus on improving your eating habits one month at a time. Here are 5 easy ways to bite into a healthy lifestyle!
- Start strong each day with a balanced breakfast. Our recipe of the month, Shamrock Smoothies, makes a great beginning to your day. If you’re always in a rush in the morning, try to get some ingredients ready the night before. Wash and chop the kale and pear (if using fresh), and store in the refrigerator. Freeze sliced bananas in a zippered freezer bag with a little orange juice (follow the food safety tip here). Then you can just throw everything into the blender in the morning and go!
- Focus on nutritious, low-cost foods to build meals. Things like beans, peas, lentils, sweet or white potatoes, frozen or canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, canned salmon or tuna, and grains such as brown rice, barley, or quinoa are almost always a good deal at most stores. Most of these items also have a long shelf life, so you can stock up when things go on sale.
- Be a snack star! Fresh fruit with peanut butter, veggies with humus or ranch, and whole grain toast or crackers with a slice of cheese are all healthy, kid-friendly snacks. They’re quick and easy to make, too!
- Balance food in with energy out by moving more. Take a walk with family or a friend after dinner. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. Play with your kids for 30 minutes every day. Turn on your favorite music and dance while you wash dishes or clean the house.
- Make celebrations healthier too. For St Patrick’s Day, pair your favorite green fruits (like kiwi, green grapes, green apples, or honeydew melon) or vegetables (broccoli, celery, green peppers, cucumbers, and snap peas) with a dip, make an all-green salad, or green scrambled eggs (just add spinach) for breakfast. For extra points, you can prepare colcannon, a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes and kale or cabbage. Find the Food $ense version of colcannon here!
For more ideas to celebrate Nutrition Month with your partners or participants, please contact Anna Kitchin, F$ Extension Coordinator: anna.kitchin@wsu.edu
