March is National Nutrition Month, and North Dakotans are reminded of ways to better manage their health through personalized diet plans that emphasize flexibility without any pressure.
In the post-pandemic world, people may be trying to break free of unhealthy eating habits they developed during the early stages of COVID-19. Or the crisis may have encouraged them to pay more attention to preventing disease and improving their health.
Bailey Holmquist, a registered dietitian in Fargo, said fewer processed foods should play a role. For example, there are certain proteins to keep in mind.
“I tell my patients, ‘Do what you can, but only if we can get good grass-fed meats, pasture-raised eggs and wild-caught fish,’” Holmquist summarized. “This way we get the most nutrients from these animals.”
But if such products don’t fit your budget or you don’t have time to look for them, he suggested purchasing the protein that’s easiest to obtain. Canned beans are considered a good complementary option. There is also affordable peanut butter made from healthy ingredients. Holmquest emphasizes that it’s not about being perfect on your diet, but instead focusing on consistency.
Holmquest also noted that specific guidance on healthy eating doesn’t work for everyone, and it’s important to understand what your body can handle.
“If someone has kidney disease and they hear the word ‘protein,’ that’s not good for them to hear,” Holmquest said. “Because when someone has impaired kidney function, protein puts a very, very strain on the kidneys.”
When it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables, he suggested rinsing them before use, which helps eliminate the pesticides used to grow them. When it comes to meal planning, Holmquest recommended keeping plenty of your favorite “go-to” nutritious items in your kitchen, making it easy to whip up something healthy on a busy night.
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Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to receive nutritious food throughout the summer.
Federal officials have approved the Badger State’s plan to join a new program that includes dozens of other states. Wisconsin is the first state to get the green light for the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program, and 36 other states are ready to begin the program this summer, Gov. Tony Evers said. Eligible households will receive preloaded debit cards that families can use to purchase groceries.
Shelly Fortner, executive director of the La Crosse Hunger Task Force, applauded the move, noting that half of the children in the local school district already qualify for free and reduced lunch during school.
“We have low-income families — many of whom are working, by the way — but we have families who can’t put extra food on the table for their kids who are home during the summer months,” he said.
This new permanent program authorized by Congress is similar to the enhanced meal access the federal government has provided during the pandemic. Across Wisconsin, there are separate lunch areas for these children when school is closed, but supporters of the new effort say it provides more flexibility, especially for households with limited transportation options.
State officials noted that most families already enrolled in the National School Lunch Program will automatically receive summer benefits.
Fortner said food access helps children learn. He said additional access during the summer months will keep them active.
“We had a lot of information about sedentary activities like video games and television,” he said, “but our kids are getting outside more now and they need to have that energy to sustain that.” “
This, he added, will help develop lifelong healthy habits for children and prevent them from feeling sluggish heading into the next school year. The government will provide a one-time summer benefit of $120 for each qualifying child. It is estimated that the money will be available by the end of June.
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Colorado is working to strengthen the state’s agricultural communities by introducing more fresh, nutritious foods to school cafeterias, and a new online tool could help more school districts get involved.
This effort is a key component of the Healthy School Meals for All initiative approved by voters in 2022.
Over the past few years, school meal operators have identified best practices that can be adopted by other school districts, including how to work with local farms and ranches, said Taylor Frederick, culinary programs manager for Nourish Colorado.
“How to find your local producer,” Frederick said, “and even how to offer special offers on certain local products and incorporate those types of things into your menus.”
The new Colorado Local Food Program Guide, available online at ‘guidebook.nourishcolorado.org’, offers tips and tools for starting and sustaining farm-to-school programs.
The guide also offers ways for parents and community members to engage with local school districts, encouraging them to participate in a volunteer program or make menu suggestions.
Frederick explained that the guide starts with a short quiz that helps direct users to the right resources.
For example, food manufacturers who want to sell their products to reliable child customers can learn how school district cafeterias operate and purchase food.
“To better understand school market channels,” Frederick said, “a little bit about the bidding process, the price points that school districts are working with, their timing, and the menus and products they’re looking for.”
School meal operators can also get tips on how to transition from serving canned and processed foods to preparing meals with fresh ingredients through a series of training videos, he said.
“There are some different types of kitchen equipment that may be available in schools, we have instructional videos on that,” Frederick said. “Some vegetable cooking techniques. Those were the big things that school districts and school meal officials said they really wanted.”
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During National Nutrition Month, groups like Virginia Fresh Match are providing people with healthy fresh food options.
The coalition of farmers markets and mobile food stores has been helping people on SNAP or EBT access healthier foods since 2009. Some groups have found that almost 24% of benefits are spent on healthy foods, more often spent on sugary snacks, convenience foods and meats.
Elizabeth Borst, Virginia Fresh Match’s director of advocacy, said everyone should have the opportunity to access healthy foods.
“It’s just making sure that people have access to both high-quality food and that quality food is affordable to them,” Borst said. “Fresh fruit and vegetables can often be the last thing people choose when they have a really limited budget, so we want to make sure they are accessible to people.”
The Consumer Price Index showed food prices rising substantially between 2022 and 2023, but prices falling slightly in 2024.
Food insecurity is a long-standing problem for Virginians. Hunger Free America’s 2023 Annual Hunger Survey found that nearly 774,000 people in Virginia are experiencing food shortages. Borst emphasized his group’s focus on “food is medicine” work to ensure no one goes hungry.
While Virginia Fresh Match has accomplished much throughout its long history, there have been some challenges as well. Borst observed that one of the long-term challenges is financing sustainability. Like the rest of the world, the pandemic has presented a significant hurdle for them, but it has created some interesting changes.
“We have experienced a huge increase in our usage and usage of the program,” Borst emphasized. “Even though there was a 40% decrease in SNAP benefit shares after the pandemic emergency benefits ended, it hasn’t really decreased.”
The emergency allocations provided an additional $95 per month to all SNAP recipients and affected 470,000 families statewide.
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