Newsroom

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State University's Nutrition and Dietetics Club is celebrating National Nutrition Month this March with a two-day event in the Memorial Union Quad.

This year's theme of "Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day" encourages personalized healthy eating styles that include lifestyle and cultural and ethnic traditions when creating balanced meals.

OSU's Nutrition and Dietetics Club is teaming up with Be Well on March 5-6, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for the two-day event, which will feature games, prizes, free food, and tips on how to stay healthy from guests representing Bob's Red Mill, First Alternative Co-op, Wild Squirrel Nut Butters, and Food@OSU.

"This is an excellent opportunity for students to learn more about their personal nutrition and reflect on goals related to it while engaging with on-campus nutritional professionals and discovering services to help them achieve their goals," said Lynn Cordes, a registered dietician with Student Health Services. "The Nutrition and Dietetics Club puts meticulous thought and planning into this event every year and it is reflected in the excitement and fun atmosphere found at National Nutrition Month at OSU."

Here are a few healthy eating tips from the food and nutrition experts at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:

• Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables: Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark-green, red and orange varieties. Add fresh, dried, frozen or canned fruits to meals and snacks.
• Make at least half your grains whole: Choose 100 percent whole-grain breads, cereals, crackers, pasta and brown rice. Check the ingredients list on food packages to find whole-grain foods.
• Switch to fat-free or low-fat milk: Fat-free and low-fat milk have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but less fat and calories. For those who are lactose intolerant, try lactose-free milk or a calcium-fortified soy beverage.
• Vary your protein choices: Eat a variety of foods from the protein food group each week, such as seafood, nuts and beans, as well as lean meat, poultry and eggs. Keep meat and poultry portions small and lean. And be sure to choose seafood as the protein at least twice a week.
• Cut back on sodium and empty calories from solid fats and added sugars: Compare sodium in foods and choose those with lower numbers, and season your foods with herbs and spices instead of salt. Switch from solid fats to healthy oils like olive and canola oil. Replace sugary drinks with water and choose fruit for dessert.

As part of this public education campaign, the academy's National Nutrition Month website includes a variety of helpful tips, fun games, promotional tools and nutrition education resources, all designed to spread the message of good nutrition.