We have entered into March 2015. With the start of a new month, we can also find a wonderful reason to celebrate. March is National Nutrition Month as sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
National Nutrition Month is a time set aside to focus on healthful eating and other sound lifestyle habits. This year’s theme is Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle. Think about all the bites you take in a day. It may be bites of oatmeal, an apple, or a granola bar. By lunch we may bite into a sandwich, a salad, or maybe a cookie. In the afternoon we might bite some carrot sticks and cheese. At dinner our bites could contain meatloaf, asparagus, potatoes and some fresh peaches. These examples represent just some of the foods we eat during a day.
I really like food and enjoy trying new things. A bite of this a bite of that and then onto something else. If we would take time to savor each bite, we can partake in a variety of foods and indulge in bites of wonderful flavors. The biggest challenge is not biting off more than we can chew or should I say bite off more than we can use. When we consume large portions containing many bites of rich and calorie-laden foods, we may go overboard and gain weight or maintain an unhealthy weight.
So, as we start the celebration of National Nutrition Month, let’s focus on yummy bites without overdoing. A bite or two of chocolate tastes the same as twelve bites of chocolate, but if I eat mindfully and savor those two bites, I can be just as fulfilled as if I ate more. Many times we take bites while multi-tasking and hardly taste what we are eating. Focus on the foods you are feasting on and enjoy each and every bite.
Here are some tips(PDF) to help you watch the bites you chew and make sure you don’t overdo:
- Take Your Time
- Use a Smaller Plate
- If You Eat Out, Choose Healthier Options
- Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth In a Healthier Way – Choose Fruit
- Make Treats “Treats,” Not Everyday Foods
Author: Cheryl Barber Spires, RD LD, SNAP-Ed Program Specialist, West Region, Ohio State University Extension, spires.53@osu.edu
Reviewer: Susan Zies, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Wood County, Erie Basin EERA, West Region
