This year’s theme is “Beyond the Table,” which addresses the farm-to-fork aspect of nutrition, from food production and distribution to navigating grocery stores and farmers markets. Beyond the table also includes where and how we eat: around the dinner table, on the go, auto dining, in schools and restaurants, socially and at entertainment venues. A registered dietitian nutritionist can help you create healthy habits that are sustainable and suit your lifestyle, incorporating any unique needs you have. A healthy intake includes a variety of foods, eaten at home and away, no matter your food budget.
Tips to Stay Nourished on Any Budget
- Cook at home
- Use a grocery list to avoid overspending and impulse purchases
- Shop weekly sales when purchasing foods
- Join a community supported agriculture group
- Plant a garden and grow food at home
- Buy local
Eat a Variety of Foods from all Food Groups and Around the Globe
- Regardless of your food choices, make half your plate fruits and vegetables, with the other half lean protein choices and whole grain pastas, brown rice or potatoes.
- Include your favorite cultural foods and traditions
- Eat foods in various forms including fresh, frozen, canned and dried.
- Experiment with recipes using different ingredients
- Try new foods or healthy global cuisines such as:
- Stir-fried chicken and vegetables served over brown rice
- Minestrone
- Gnocchi (mix spinach in the dough) served with chopped vegetables
- Pita Sandwiches full of vegetables
- Dolmas (grape leaves stuffed with ground meat and vegetables
- Eggplant and squash over rice
- Gazpacho (soup with cucumber and vegetables)
Make Your own Meals at Home.
- People who eat more home-cooked meals not only tend to consume more fruits, vegetables and dietary fiber, but also eat less saturated fat and salt.
- Homemade food is typically more budget-friendly than dining out
- Try new recipes online or treat yourself to a new cookbook.
- Get creative with leftovers to reduce food waste and save money
- Enjoy more plant-based meals and snacks
- Buy foods in season and from local farmers and markets when possible
- Grow food at home, participate in community gardens or buy into community supported agriculture with local farms.
