National Nutrition Month is an annual campaign created 50 years ago in 1973 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. During the month of March, everyone is invited to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits. This year’s theme is “Beyond the Table”, which addresses the farm-to-fork aspect of nutrition, from food production and distribution to navigating grocery stores and farmers markets, and even home food safety and storage practices. It also describes the various ways we eat – not only around a dinner table, but also on the go, in schools and restaurants, at games and events. This theme also includes sustainability, for instance, decreasing food waste from school and work to home and beyond. Here are 50 ways to get involved with National Nutrition Month. You can also engage your students with some fantastic National Nutrition Month resources found here.

Looking for more healthy eating resources? MHealthy, department lead of Project Healthy Schools at the University of Michigan, has some great online nutrition resources to help you refine your culinary skills and utilize and access healthy recipes. This is a great month to expand your experience in the grocery store and home kitchen. Be brave, try a new healthy ingredient or recipe, and enjoy all the pleasure food has to offer us on a daily basis. Happy National Nutrition Month!