National Nutrition Month

Kayla Slater, Columnist

March is National Nutrition Month, and the theme this year is “Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right.” National Nutrition Month is a campaign sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and focuses attention on making healthy eating choices and physical activity habits. This year for National Nutrition Month, SUNY Oneonta Dining Services is participating in a MyPlate-Be Mindful project in Wilsbach Dining Hall for four weeks (February 24-March 21) to see if MyPlate can help college students eat healthier.

MyPlate is a guide to help people adopt healthier eating habits noted in the Dietary Guidelines of 2010. MyPlate replaced MyPyramid in 2011. It focuses on five food groups: fruits, vegetables, protein, grains and dairy. MyPlate also helps with portion sizes, which have grown in the past 20 years and contribute to obesity in America.
Here are some tips based on Dietary Guidelines:
Tips for balancing calories: enjoy your food but eat less and avoid oversized portions
Foods to increase: make half of your plate fruits and vegetables, make at least half your grains whole grains, drink fat-free or low-fat milk
Foods to reduce: foods high in sodium. Drink water instead of sugary drinks
A look into the new program in the dinning halls:
Be Mindful is a program that was developed by a Sodexo dietitian that involves making it easier to choose healthy in the dining halls. The meals are satisfying and flavorful, but with fewer calories and salt. Each meal is created using the criteria set for the amount of calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium and fiber. To know what meals are mindful, look for the apple logo on the weekly dining hall menus. Sodexo has made it easy for college students on campus to “enjoy the taste of eating right.”

Join the fun for National Nutrition Month and take pictures of your healthy plate. Post your pictures to social media sites on SUNY Oneonta Dining Services (Facebook and Twitter) to win 25 dining dollars. Stop by the information table or talk to a MyPlate Ambassador in Wilsbach Dining Hall during lunch and dinner to learn more.