March is National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month® (NNM) and that means a great opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of eating nutritious and balanced meals. NNM is an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, focusing attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.

“Go Further with Food” is the theme for 2018. This aligns well with Feeding South Florida’s for many reasons. Going further with food is what we do. We rescue food from those who have it and provide it to those who need it. But you might not know, is that FSF believes it’s not just about providing any food, it’s also about providing quality, fresh, and nutritious food.

In fact, 70 percent of all food distributed by FSF is what Feeding America® refers to as “Foods to Encourage” or F2E. Foods to Encourage are designed to encourage healthier food choices for families, focusing on specific food groups that are more widely accepted as contributing positively to good health – and align with USDA MyPlate.

Examples of F2E items are fruits, vegetables, protein, dairy and whole grains. To learn more about F2E, click here.

So how can you help Feeding South Florida ensure our families receive nutritious food? You can conduct a healthy food drive! Check out Feeding America’s Healthy Food Donation list found here for a suggested list of items that FSF needs most. Starting a Food + Fund Drive is as easy as visiting our website and registering here.

For FSF, “Go Further with Food” also highlights the critical intersection between hunger and health. To underscore this critical relationship, FSF is proud to share that it’s in the second phase of a randomized control trial with Humana. This groundbreaking research looks at the impact food insecurity has on the number of “unhealthy” days. You can learn more about this innovative study by reading our published article in STAT news by clicking here.

The importance of proper nutrition cannot be overstated; it goes hand-in-hand with food access. It’s so important, that Feeding America created a “Hunger + Health” microsite, designed to bring awareness to the issue. This NNM, go further with food by learning about the commitment Feeding America food banks have to ensuring a healthier America. Click here to learn more about our commitment to a healthier South Florida.