March is National Nutrition Month®

National Nutrition month® is a yearly, educational campaign to bring awareness of better dietary choices.  This year’s theme is “Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day,” and is a reminder to try and work healthy foods, that suit your individual needs and preferences, into your daily lifestyle.  The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has some great tips for eating right on the go and at restaurants, but many of their suggestions can also be applied to eating well right here on campus:

-          Think ahead and plan where you will eat.  Use the myubcard.com website to look at menus for the different dining locations, and also the nutrition facts, to help make a decision about where you want to eat.

-          Read menus for fat and calorie content.  When dining on campus, our website does list nutrition values for most food items.  You can also contact the Registered Dietitian for more info or if you cannot find what you are looking for.  

-          Order a child-sized portion in place of the main course.  This is good advice for dining out at fast food places or restaurants, as many portion sizes have gotten HUGE over the years.  On campus, for serve-yourself options, be aware of how much you are taking.  Often our eyes are bigger than our plates, but when people fill up their plate they also tend to eat everything even after they are full.  Start with a smaller portion – you can always go back for more.

-          Keep healthy, portable snacks in your purse or backpack.  Some ideas are granola bars, crackers with peanut butter, a piece of fresh fruit, snack mix.  Healthy snacking can keep you fueled during the day and also can help prevent overeating at main meals.

-          At the salad bar, pile on the dark leafy greens, carrots, peppers, and other fresh vegetables.  Go easy on the cheeses, creamy dressing, and higher-fat toppings.

Make healthier eating part of everyday living!  For more information, check out the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website, www.eatright.org.  While geared towards nutrition professionals, this website does have much information for the public.  Click on the “Public” tab at the top to see tips, fact sheets, and other resources.