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Celebrating National Nutrition Month: Discover the Power of Nutrition!

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Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month? This annual observance is all about making healthier eating and physical activity choices, and it’s a great reminder that small, sustainable changes can have a meaningful impact on your health in the long run. Whether it’s meal planning, getting daily physical activity, or simply trying to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet, every step counts.

Mindful Eating: Being Present at the Table

One powerful habit to explore this month is mindful eating, being present during mealtimes, and becoming more aware of how and why you eat. A simple way to start? Pause before a meal and take a deep breath. This small practice is something children and adults can do together, helping everyone feel more connected and present at the dinner table.

Supporting Your Child’s Health Through Food and Movement

Proper nutrition and physical activity are especially important for children, helping to support their growing bodies and brains. Here are a few ways you can support your child’s health:

  • Introduce fruits and vegetables together. Try new foods with your child. It takes the pressure off and makes it more fun.
  • Get moving together. Playing outside or being physically active as a family sets a positive example and builds healthy habits early.
  • Talk about food groups. Mealtimes are a great opportunity to teach children about the five food groups and how each one supports their health. The MyPlate model is a helpful visual tool for building a balanced plate.

You’re Your Child’s Greatest Role Model

Children learn from the behaviors they see around them. When your child sees you practicing mindful eating or enjoying fruits and vegetables, they’re likely to follow your lead. Your own journey with food and mindfulness can be one of the most powerful influences on your child’s relationship with eating.

Navigating Picky Eating

Picky eating is completely normal in young children, and it can be discouraging when they won’t try new foods. A few strategies that can help:

  • Offer new foods multiple times. Repeated exposure can gradually increase a child’s willingness to try something new.
  • Engage the senses first. Let your child explore new foods through sight, touch, smell, and sound before ever asking them to taste. This creates a lower-pressure environment and helps build a positive relationship with food.
  • Use a curiosity-based approach. Framing new foods as something interesting to discover, rather than something to eat, can reduce the pressure children may feel.
  • Practice responsive feeding. Recognize and respect your child’s hunger and fullness cues. Following their lead, in everyday feeding and when trying new foods, supports their sense of autonomy and can foster a healthier relationship with food as they grow.

Seek Professional Guidance

If you’d like help improving your diet or family eating behaviors but don’t know where to start, Registered Dietitians (RDs) are here to help. RDs are nutrition professionals who use science-backed methods to support your health goals, and a visit with one may even be covered by your insurance.

This March, consider using National Nutrition Month as an opportunity to explore new habits alongside your child. The healthy patterns you build together now can stay with them for a lifetime.

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