March is the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ National Nutrition Month® campaign. The theme for 2024 is “Beyond the Table.” Throughout this month, we’ll be exploring how the food we eat can nourish our bodies, minds, and spirits in an environmentally sustainable and budget-friendly way. Check out these tips for thinking “beyond the table” for National Nutrition Month® this year.
Week 1: Stay nourished and save money.
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Make food at home. Learning how to plan and prepare meals can give you more freedom to make foods you and your family enjoy. You don’t even have to make food from scratch. Pre-made, shelf-stable, or refrigerated/frozen foods can help you put food on your table more easily and quickly if you have limited time or resources. If you need ideas and support on making some simple meals at home, check out our YouTube channel.
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Learn about and utilize food assistance programs. Rising food prices and unexpected circumstances may make feeding yourself and your family more challenging than ever before. You may qualify for governmental resources like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Additionally, local food resources like food pantries and Mobile Pantries can help fill in the meal gap. If you need any assistance getting signed up for SNAP, our Empowerment Services Coordinator can help.
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Stay focused when shopping for food. While planning ahead can take some time, it can also help you stick to your food budget. Use a grocery list and shop sales when possible to help prevent you from spending money on items you didn’t plan for. If you receive SNAP or WIC benefits, plan your shopping list around what is covered through the programs so you can be ready to fill in the gap another way, whether that be using your household income or through food banks or pantries.
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Practice food safety. Washing your hands, using clean utensils and surfaces, and properly storing and handling food can go a long way. Be extra careful when preparing food for vulnerable populations, like those 65 years and older; pregnant; younger than 5 years; or with weakened immune systems. Visit FoodSafety.gov for more detailed food safety tips.
Week 2: See a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).
An RDN goes through years of school, hands-on training, and state certification and licensure to become the nutrition expert. RDNs can be found in clinical, foodservice, or community settings, ultimately working to help support people of all ages and their nutrition-related goals. If you need nutrition support, ask your doctor for a referral to an RDN. An RDN can help you make a personalized nutrition plan to help you meet your nutrition-health goals. Whether you need support for heart health, diabetes, eating disorder recovery, food allergies, or a number of other food-related concerns,, there is an RDN for you. For those insured through Medicare, Medicare B currently covers medical nutrition therapy (MNT) by an RDN for patients with diabetes or kidney disease, or if they have undergone a kidney transplant in the past 36 months. Other forms of insurance may partially cover nutrition services as well.
Week 3: Eat a variety of foods from all food groups, as much as is possible for you and your family.
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Eat a variety of forms. This looks like eating foods in their various forms, including fresh, frozen, canned, and dried. All forms of food can nourish your body, mind, and spirit.
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Include your favorite cultural foods and traditions. Food is meant for more than something to fill our bellies; it’s also a way for us to feed our minds and spirits. It’s a way to connect with others.
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Experiment with recipes using different ingredients to the extent that you’re able. Food costs are high, so making ingredient substitutions might guide budget-friendly food exploration. For example, adding a budget-friendly meat filler, like finely chopped mushrooms, to your ground beef can make your beef go further. Stay open minded. Consider trying a new vegetable that’s on sale at the grocery store or available at your local food pantry. If you are especially interested in new foods and flavors, incorporate ingredients or try different dishes from around the globe.
Week 4: Eat with the environment in mind.
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Reduce food waste. Buy only the food you know you’re going to eat. If you have shelf-stable items that are not expired but you don’t want them anymore, give them to a friend or donate to your neighborhood food pantry or food bank instead of throwing them away. If you’re bored with your leftovers, try turning them into a new meal.
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Add plant-based foods into your meal rotation. Not only are plant-based foods generally more environmentally friendly than many animal products, but they are also often more affordable. When you can, buy locally sourced, seasonal foods from your local grocery store or farmers market. To help offset financial barriers, some farmers’ markets accept SNAP benefits and Double Up Bucks to make purchasing fresh, local foods more accessible, even on a tight grocery budget. For Knox County WIC recipients, check out the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program for additional benefits for fresh produce. For Hamblen County Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) recipients, check out Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program for additional benefits for fresh produce. Grow your own food. If you have the interest and the resources to grow your own food, this can be a great way to save money in the long-term, increase physical activity, and connect with others. Some low-maintenance, easier-to-grow produce includes leafy greens, herbs, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Seed and/or seedling giveaways: Knox County: Beardsley Farms Seed and Plant Distribution Program gives free seeds, plants, and gardening and nutrition information to Knoxville and Knox County residents each year (primarily for food-insecure households).Roane County: Roane County Cooperative Ministries gives $50 grants for people to buy plants and seeds in order to feed themselves. Cocke County: Cocke County Food Distributors gives out seeds. Additionally, they trade seeds, plants, and recipes with one another.
Call to action. What can you do from here? Donate to Second Harvest and/or local food pantries and nonprofits working in the food space to help our neighbors experiencing food and nutrition insecurity. Follow us on social media to stay in the loop with what’s going on at Second Harvest and with our agency partners. Thanks for celebrating National Nutrition Month® with us!