This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from USDA’s rich science and research portfolio.
March is National Nutrition Month, an annual observance that encourages Americans to adopt a healthy eating pattern that includes nutritious and flavorful foods. What started as a week-long event in 1973 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics became a month-long celebration in 1980, thanks to growing public interest in nutrition. Food and nutrition professionals often celebrate this special month by providing educational and fun resources and treats—such as information booths, posters, games, recipes, and healthy snacks—to promote healthy eating in the workplace and at home. This year’s theme, “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right,” encourages food traditions and the appreciation of eating flavorful foods with friends and family.
The National Agricultural Library’s (NAL) Nutrition.gov website offers many excellent tools and resources for cooking and consuming healthy and delicious foods. Do you want to learn how to cook great-tasting food without adding too much salt or saturated fat? With sodium intakes that are high across the U.S. population according to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, you may be looking for new ideas on how to cook flavorful food while keeping sodium levels to a minimum.
The Nutrition.gov Shopping, Cooking & Meal Planning page has a “Recipes” section that provides hundreds of heart-healthy recipes that feature fruits and vegetables, fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese. You’ll also find an “Ethnic Cooking” section, where you can explore cultural and ethnic resources, including Latino, Native-American, and African-American recipes.
Nutrition.gov also offers a number of videos to help spark National Nutrition Month excitement. For school nutrition professionals, the video “What’s Shaking? Creative Ways to Boost Flavor with Less Sodium” featuring First Lady Michelle Obama is part of a national sodium reduction initiative to boost flavor and lower the sodium content of school meals. The video “Kids Rock Nutrition in the Kitchen” teaches kids how to practice food safely using colorful fruits, vegetables and other healthy ingredients. The video “Top 10 Reasons to Shop at a Farmers Market” reviews the benefits of buying fresh, locally grown foods.
In honor of National Nutrition Month, NAL and the team at Nutrition.gov invite you to check out the resources available whether you are planning your next dinner party with friends or just a healthy midweek meal with family. Together we can celebrate eating right for good health. Happy National Nutrition Month!
March is National Nutrition Month. Throughout the month, USDA will be highlighting results of our efforts to improve access to safe, healthy food for all Americans and supporting the health of our next generation.