LANSING — To celebrate National Nutrition Month, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Women, Infant, and Children Program is joining with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to remind all residents that making small changes — one forkful at a time — can lead to long-term healthier eating habits.
This year’s National Nutrition Month theme, “Put Your Best Fork Forward,” reminds residents that each bite counts. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest starting with small changes in order to make healthier lasting changes.
Michigan residents are encouraged to consider this when planning meals to prepare at home or making selections when eating out.
In addition, residents should consider:
• Creating an eating style that includes a variety of healthful foods.
• Cooking more at home and experimenting with healthier ingredients.
• Eating and drinking the right amount of food.
• Being physically active most days of the week.
For eating at home, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests increasing these simple healthy foods:
• Vegetables, including dark green, red and orange, beans, peas and others.
• Fruits, especially whole fruits.
• Whole grains.
• Fat-free or low-fat dairy including milk, yogurt, cheese and fortified soy beverages
• Protein foods including seafood, lean meats, poultry, nuts, soy products, beans and peas.
• Oils including canola, corn, olive, peanut, sunflower and soy.
When dining out, plan ahead, consider the menu and choose foods carefully. For example, if you plan to have lunch with coworkers, eat a light dinner.
People who plan on dining out in the evening should plan to have lighter meals earlier in the day. Additionally, most restaurants offer healthy side dishes such as salads and steamed or roasted vegetables, and to-go boxes can help control portions.
WIC offers the federally-funded Special Supplemental Nutrition Program serving low-income women, infants and children up to age 5 by providing nutritious food, nutrition education, breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to health and other services.
For more information about National Nutrition Month, visit eatright.org.