Live Healthy Hartsville: Eat Right Bite by Bite

Submitted by Kimberly Alton, RD, CSSD, LD, Director of Food and Nutrition Services at Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center

March is National Nutrition Month® (NNM), an education and information campaign, created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.  Started as National Nutrition Week in 1973 and expanded to cover the whole month in 1980, it is an opportunity to highlight the importance of nutrition to healthy living. This year the theme is Eat Right Bite by Bite.

While there are several key messages to share, we need to start with the understanding of some basics. Make small changes – they add up over time to make a big impact. You have probably heard of the K.I.S.S. method – keep it simple silly – do not over-complicate this. Do not try to change everything at once – most of us can’t and when we don’t, we are usually ready to give up.

There are four key messages that we will talk about this week. They are to eat a variety of nutritious foods every day. Plan your meals each week. Learn skills to create tasty meals. Last, but not least, Consult a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). Let’s take a closer look.

Eat a Variety of Nutritious Foods Every Day

We know that following a healthy eating pattern can reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers as well as overweight and obesity. The tricky part is figuring out what a healthy eating pattern looks like.

Including healthful foods from all the food groups is a great starting place. This means focusing more on whole fruits and having a variety of vegetables. Choosing at least half of your grain servings as whole grains and varying your protein sources would contribute as well. Low-fat and fat-free milk or yogurt would round out the food groups. You will also want to drink and eat less added sugars, sodium and saturated fats.

Learning how to read the Nutrition Facts Panels will be beneficial to choosing healthy food options and will help you with portion control. The Nutrition Facts Panel has been updated and provides better information. Finally, take time to enjoy your food. When we are more mindful when we are eating, we get to enjoy the flavors and textures. This generally contributes to healthier eating patterns.

Plan Your Meals Each Week

This is a game-changer! I generally recommend planning at least one meal period per week. For me that usually is supper, but breakfast or lunch may make more sense for you. This is something you must determine based on your lifestyle. I look at mine and my family’s schedules for the week. Then I determine what days I am going to cook and what days we may do leftovers, or we will be away from home.

After I have figured this out, I start planning my meals. I like to try new recipes, so I may throw something new in the mix. I try to plan my meals to utilize ingredients I have on hand or if I have to buy new ingredients, then I plan an extra meal that I can use some of the same items so that I’m not wasting it. Next comes the grocery list. I highly recommend shopping from a list. It not only helps you to get everything you are going to need; it keeps you from randomly throwing food in your buggy that you didn’t need.

Learn Skills to Create Tasty Meals

Cooking at home can be a great tool to use in having healthier meals but can also save you money when you have planned well. Try keeping some healthy staples on hand to create meals. Get the family involved or get together with friends and cook up some tasty treats. This is a huge opportunity to get the kids in the kitchen.  I suggest letting them in on the meal planning – they get one pick for the week but must help in the preparation. This gives them a little more ownership over the healthy eating process.

Play around with cooking techniques and flavors. There are tons of recipes and plenty of videos at your fingertips with a quick internet search. Broaden your horizons a little bit and most importantly, remember that you can always tweak a recipe to match your tastes. You have a recipe that calls for kale, but you are not a fan? Try spinach instead. A fruit dessert that calls for a berry you don’t like – use one that you do like. Any ingredient can be substituted. I promise there is no ingredient police that is going to bust down your door if you make a swap.

Consult a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)

Finally, reaping the benefits of healthy eating can be done by consulting with a registered dietitian nutritionist. A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) is the ideal person for that. An RDN is the food and nutrition expert and a valuable resource for evidence-based food and nutrition information. This is the person who can translate the science into practical solutions for healthy living.  At Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center, we offer nutrition counseling with a physician’s referral.

March 11th is designated as Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day. I would be remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity to acknowledge all the incredible RDNs I have had the pleasure to work with and am certainly proud to be a part of such a great group of people.

My challenge for you this National Nutrition Month is to take the opportunity to find a small change you can make. Every bite of nutrition can be a step in the right direction toward creating your healthy life. Until next time…live healthy!