By Becky Blum

RN/Senior Nutrition Program Director

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics started this national nutrition month campaign in 1973 to focus nationwide attention on healthful eating. Its goal is to focus our attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. The theme for 2018 is “Go Further With Food.”

Whether starting the day with a healthy breakfast or fueling up with the right food choices for athletics; the food we choose can make a significant difference to our daily performance. We need to consider the best food choices to meet our energy needs by preparing foods to go further, (bigger bang to our buck so to speak). We are being encouraged to adopt a healthier eating style, while reducing food loss and waste.

We can accomplish this by adding healthful, preferably local foods which are good for our bodies and good for the environment. Work on decreasing food waste, think about the leftover food you throw away or foods that go bad before we eat them. Shop wisely and store your food correctly. Plan and prepare meals in advance so you can freeze extras. Plan your shopping ahead and stick with the list so you don’t over buy and waste. Buy smaller quantities if you cannot use or freeze leftovers. Share your dinner with a needy neighbor if you made too much.