March is National Nutrition Month ®, when the American Dietetic Association reminds us about the importance of healthy eating. This year’s theme is “Improving your nutrition from the ground up”. Now is the time to go back to the basics and build a healthy diet that includes healthy foods from all food groups.  

Despite the variety of nutrition messages telling people what not to eat plastered all over the news, Internet -- and even advice from family and friends -- many people still don’t have a clear idea of what foods they should be eating.

By focusing on the positive components of foods you can help you develop a healthy approach to eating that will lead to a well-balanced and sensible diet.  

One way to help your family eat a healthy diet is by including nutrient-rich foods in their daily meals. Nutrient-rich foods have large amounts of key nutrients for fewer calories. These foods provide essential vitamins and minerals that the body needs to promote healthy growth, fight illness, increase energy levels and prevent chronic disease.

 Some nutrient-rich foods to focus on are:

• Whole grains, which are high in dietary fiber, B vitamins, iron and magnesium
• Fruits and vegetables, which are a great source of potassium, dietary fiber, folate and vitamins A,C and E
• Low-fat milk and milk products, which provide calcium, vitamin D, protein and potassium itamin D, protein and potassium
• Lean meats, beans, nuts and seeds which supply protein, iron, zinc, B vitamins, vitamin E and magnesium

The “nutrition from the ground up” theme conjures up images of a backyard vegetable garden which certainly can be an element in a healthy lifestyle. However, you don't have to be a gardener to have a healthy diet.

Fruits and vegetables are plentiful in your local grocery store or a farmer's market. Frozen, canned and dried produce provide greater variety and easier storage particularly in winter when availability and access are limited. You can feel good about eating a wide range and variety of fruits and vegetables -- even if you didn't grow it yourself. 

This March take a new approach to purchasing, preparing and eating foods for a healthier you.

For more information on National Nutrition Month, visit www.eatright.org.

Trina Robertson, M.S, R.D.

Dairy Council of California

Even a well-defined health goal can be fraught with barriers. For example, you get home from work and your intent is to take a 30 minute walk in the neighborhood. However, when you get home the house is so cold that you don’t want to change into your walking clothes. While you are waiting for the house to warm up, you sit down at the computer or TV and by the time your house or apartment has warmed up too much time as elapsed to take the walk and you now need to start preparing dinner.

How might you overcome this barrier? Have your walking clothes and shoes laid out on your bed before you leave for work. Have a space heater in your room that you can turn on while you change. Make sure your walking shoes are also nearby. This simple plan could be enough to get you walking after work more often.

Many of us want to cook healthy meals more often yet for a variety of reasons fall short of this goal. The first step is to examine the barriers that are holding you back. Is your kitchen usually messy and the prospect of cleaning it before you begin cooking a barrier? Or, is your dining room table piled high with clutter so you end up eating in front of the TV in spite of your desire to turn the TV off and eat at the table? Or, is the problem that you rarely have enough food in your pantry and you don’t have enough time to both shop and cook dinner? These are common issues.

A good place to start is conducting a family meeting to brainstorm solutions. Behaviors that could increase success include:

• Emptying the dishwasher before you go to work
• Having your children clean the kitchen before you get home
• Finding another place to store the incoming mail or recycle junk mail before lands in a pile on the kitchen counter. The public library has books on how to reduce clutter and organize your home. Treat yourself to a night at the library to research ideas that might work for you.
• Plan a few menus for the coming week and shop on the weekend. This will eliminate trips to the store. The time spent menu planning helps save time later in the week.

Achieving a healthier lifestyle is a worthy goal. Begin the New Year exploring ways to achieve your health goals. Planning small achievable goals, while anticipating and planning solutions for possible barriers, will help you achieve the results you desire.

Maureen Bligh, M.A., R.D.
Dairy Council of California

It’s time to start planning your Thanksgiving meal and Meals Matter can help. Planning ahead is one of the easiest ways to avoid becoming overloaded during the hectic holiday season.

To help families take some of the stress out of preparing a Thanksgiving feast, we've selected some of our favorite make-ahead holiday dishes. Several of them can be made ahead of time so you’ll have plenty of extra time to spend with your family, instead of preparing food, this Thanksgiving.

For a festive family feast that’s relatively stress-free, plan on Maple Roasted Turkey with Stuffed Squash with Bulgur and Feta and Maple-Pumpkin Custards with Crystallized Ginger. Both the squash and the custard can be made in advance, leaving you with plenty of time for the turkey.

Here are some delicious holiday appetizer and side dish recipes that can also be made in advance: Spinach Balls, Caramelized Apples with Toasted Walnut Brie, Triple Cranberry Sauce and Thanksgiving Giblet Gravy.

Turkey needs to be carefully stored, thawed and cooked to prevent foodborne illness.

Turkeys are large, often purchased frozen and typically filled with stuffing, which makes it more difficult to thoroughly cook the bird to a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees.

We’ve put together Tips for Cooking a Turkey to help you purchase, thaw and prepare your turkey safely.

Though most of us are exhausted after a busy week with work and activities, it’s still important to take time to plan a Saturday or Sunday filled with fun, activity and healthy food for children, families and friends.

During fall, there are so many ways to have fun! If you have kids with ideas, by all means, let them lead. If you need some ideas, here are a few that are sure to create some fun memories for everyone!

Spend the day at the park! Kids are full of energy so bring your Frisbees, soccer balls, kites, buckets, shovels, a blanket, and a picnic basket and enjoy the carefree environment of your favorite community park.

Go for a hike! There are plenty of great places to get a good hike in! Pack a backpack full of healthy snacks, some water and get going!

Take a bike ride to your favorite lunch stop or frozen yogurt shop! Bike rides are a great, low-cost way to bond with your kids. Slap on those helmets and ride like the wind!

The holiday season is right around the corner so this is a great time of year to lay the groundwork for healthy habits for the whole family.

If you’re already running out of ideas for your kid’s back-to-school lunches, you’re not alone. Coming up with lunch ideas that your kids will actually eat can be a challenge for many parents. Our simple steps for packing a healthy, balanced lunch can help.  

Don’t let packed lunches get repetitive. Try different types of bread, dips, small treats -- and even a short notes to remind them you love them.

Our printable Tips for a Healthy Lunchbox offers ideas for healthy foods to include in kids’ lunches.

Healthy Lunch Tips

Provide foods from at least three food groups, which gives children the nutrients and energy they need to stay energized and do well in school.

For example, a peanut butter (meat, beans and nuts) and jelly sandwich (grains), an apple (fruit) and milk (milk and dairy), is a simple and balanced meal from four food groups that contains protein, fat and carbohydrate – the nutrients children need to grow and learn.

And, remember, children who help select and prepare their meals are more likely to eat them. The key is to give children healthy options to choose from.

For example, ask your kids if they want yogurt or string cheese, an apple or a banana, a peanut butter and jelly or ham-and-cheese sandwich. Whichever choice they make, you know they’re going to eat something nutritious.

Getting your child’s input, acknowledging his or her taste preferences and giving them some control over what they eat means less uneaten food and ultimately a better nourished child who is ready to learn at school.

Find more healthy lunch ideas.