March is National Nutrition Month. I don’t know about you, but I’ve definitely been needing help with eating better over the last few months. We may get bored and eat the same things over and over again or need a little push to try something new. Most of us could probably make some healthier food choices if we thought about it. My favorite times of the year are fast approaching, so it’s time to get busy. Bring on spring and summer!

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has some great advice for National Nutrition Month. They want us to celebrate the world of flavors out there and gave some great information for each week of the month. They emphasize eating a variety of nutritious foods from all food groups, learn how to read nutrition labels and incorporate favorite cultural foods and traditions into meals. By planning healthful meals and snacks ahead of time, we have taken charge of what we will eat during the week. We are also encouraged to try varying our diet and adding new flavors and foods around the world. They urge us to see a Registered Dietitian who can help give personalized nutrition information for management of chronic diseases or to meet other health needs if needed. https://www.eatright.org/food/resources/national-nutrition-month

I like the world of flavors sentence in the paragraph above. It embraces global culture and heritage. Yes, we may not be a superstar chef like the ones we watch on television who travel the world for their flavors and learn from the masters of that culture. Those shows are certainly interesting to watch, and we can gain knowledge about different cultures and their food. Perhaps you have friends or coworkers who have favorite cultural recipes, traditions or even a spice or two that you have never tried. We can definitely learn to create new and ambitious meals for ourselves and our families if we give it a chance.

Eating right means making healthy food choices. It may take a little time to educate ourselves, but it doesn’t have to be hard, and we don’t have to give up all the foods we love. Healthy eating can help prevent type 2 diabetes and reduce our risk of heart disease and stroke. Plus, exploring recipes from other cultures opens up a whole world of flavors that we may have never known until we tried them.