CHARLESTON, S.C. - March is National Nutrition Month! This is an annual campaign by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics inviting the community to learn about making informed food choices, and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits. The theme for this year's National Nutrition Month is "Personalize Your Plate."
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has four key steps to making your plate nutritious. First, learn the skills to create tasty meals. Second, plan your meals in advance to ensure healthful eating at school, work, and home. Third, keep variety in your diet by switching up the nutritious foods you eat every day. And fourth, see a Registered Dietician (RDN) for further guidance.
To help you with the steps to "Personalize Your Plate," we have some fun National Nutrition Month virtual programs this month!
Storytime
One way to inspire children to eat their veggies is by reading books about them! This month, library staff have special nutrition-themed storytimes planned with books, songs, and activities to promote healthy habits. Tune in for these storytimes on March 8, 12, 16 and 19 at 10 a.m. on CCPL's Facebook page.
Cooking Lessons
If you're looking for some new healthy recipes to add to your meal planning, we have some ideas! Join us for these upcoming cooking lessons to create nutritious and tasty meals that all ages will enjoy.
On March 3 at 3 p.m., head into the kitchen with Shayla to whip up Pasta Primavera. This dish is a tasty way to incorporate more veggies into your main course. Check out the recipe to make sure you have all the ingredients you need on hand.
On March 10 at 3 p.m., join Devon and her young sous chef Elliott to make Monster Veggie Muffins. This is recipe children can help make, it's full of veggies, AND kid-approved delicious!
On March 24 at 3 p.m., Devon and Elliott are back to make Quinoa and Zucchini Fritters. Devon will demonstrate how kids can help out (with adult supervision) and Elliott will show us how yummy the fritters are.
Gardening
You can grow your own fruits and vegetables at home with the right knowledge and tools. Join Donna Powell from the Tri-County Master Gardeners to learn more about vegetable gardening.
On March 13 at 10 a.m., Donna will be LIVE on Zoom to demonstate the basics of growing a vegetable garden and getting the whole family involved. Participants will also have a chance to ask Donna questions about their own vegetable gardening experiences. This event does require preregistration.
On March 16 at 3 p.m., Donna shows us the first steps for creating a vegetable garden at home.
On March 23 at 3 p.m., Donna focuses on planting vegetable in beds and demonstrates how to get started in your own backyard.
All of these virtual programs can be found on CCPL's Facebook page.