Get Ready Because March is National Nutrition Month®!
The theme of National Nutrition Month this year is “Go Further with Food.” Whether it is starting your day off right with a healthy breakfast, planning meals and snacks ahead of time to reduce food waste, or learning how to read a nutrition facts label, the foods you choose daily can really make a difference! There are several ways to explore a healthy lifestyle. Each day, during the month of March, challenge yourself to become a healthier you and experiment with ways you can incorporate a healthy lifestyle into your everyday life. National Nutrition Month® is encouraging you to experience the benefits of healthy eating habits and cutting back on food waste as you go further with food!
Here is what you can do to go further with food:
• Include a variety of fresh healthy foods from all of the food groups daily.
• Plan your meals ahead of time to reduce food waste.
• Use leftover ingredients to prepare meals for later in the week.
• Use good food safety practices to prevent food borne illness.
• Be mindful of portion sizes; eat the amount that’s right for you!
Tips while challenging yourself to go further with food:
• Are your favorite fruits and vegetables not in season this March? Don’t sweat it! Frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh fruits and vegetables and can be stored longer. Challenge yourself to incorporate more of these foods into your daily diet.
• Plan your meals for the week before you go to the grocery store and make a list. Sticking to your list will eliminate impulse buys at the store so that you won’t purchase more ingredients than you need that could potentially go to waste.
• Unsure what to do with your leftovers from dinner? Try incorporating them into lunch for the next day or using them as an ingredient in another dish.
• Use sanitary practices while preparing food, avoid cross contamination. Make sure to use a thermometer if necessary to prevent any food borne illness!
• MyPlate is a great reference to use when preparing a meal. Use the MyPlate guidelines to help design your plate
Instead of the potato chips, start off National Nutrition Month® with this delicious and easy baked zucchini chips recipe!
Ingredients:
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 large zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.
2) For the chips, pour milk in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, combine Parmesan, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Working one at a time, dip zucchini rounds in milk and then coat in the Parmesan mixture.
3) Lay crusted slices on prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Flip zucchini rounds and continue to bake another 10 minutes. Sprinkle with Kosher salt and serve.