Get Everyone Involved
- Ask the city mayor or state governor to declare March “National Nutrition Month®.” Provide a proclamation form to make it easier for the staff.
- Plan a virtual cooking demo or nutrition event. Invite a dietitian, restaurant chef or local culinary school to host a virtual cooking demo from their home, combined with a brief nutrition presentation. Provide attendees with copies of recipes and links to online materials about National Nutrition Month®.
- Contact the local library and inquire about a virtual story time or nutrition program. Leave activity sheets for children to take, Eat Right nutrition tip sheets for adults and National Nutrition Month® bookmarks for everyone.
- Organize a food donation campaign for a local food pantry or shelter.
- As a family, commit to trying a new fruit or vegetable each week during National Nutrition Month®.
- Plan to eat more meals together as a family during National Nutrition Month®.
- Explore food recovery options in your community.
Schools or Workplaces
- Create a “nutrition question of the day” contest sent by email or posted on a display. Draw the name of a daily prize winner from those who provided the correct answer. Suggested prizes: National Nutrition Month® pens, pencils, magnets, buttons or cooking items. Award a grand prize at the end of the month drawn from all correct submissions.
- Vote for your favorite fruits and vegetables: Show various photos of fruits and vegetables. Ask participants to vote for their favorite vegetable and fruit. Post a tally board to record votes.
- Classroom: Ask children to carefully save empty food product labels and boxes. Spend some time reading labels and comparing information in the Nutrition Facts panels. Expand into a menu-planning opportunity, individually or in teams, using MyPlate as the guide to a healthy meal.
- Start a school vegetable garden by planting seeds indoors or in the ground. If that’s not feasible, consider showing videos on how to plant a garden.
- Develop a lesson plan that explains the science behind ingredients needed for baking.
- Assign a school group project that involves each group researching one of the food groups, allowing each child to explain a food from that food group and what nutrition it provides.
- Develop a school project that involves kids drawing and creating a meal based on MyPlate, using the Choose MyPlate Coloring Page.
- Organize a sports nutrition education session that children can participate in virtually or while practicing social distancing.
- Host a virtual cooking demonstration on social media for shoppers that features an easy and budget-friendly recipe. Partner with the store by highlighting store brand products and conducting the event live on their social media page.
- Highlight cultural food traditions. Offer special menu items from international cuisines (Asian, Mediterranean, Mexican, etc.) or regional foods of the United States.
- Organize a “healthy recipe” contest among employees. Have the judges be VIP’s from your workplace.
- Distribute coupons for discounts on a healthy meal featured in the cafeteria or vouchers for nutritious beverages or snacks.
- Decorate the cafeteria with National Nutrition Month® posters or banners, table tents and balloons. Create a “take one” display with National Nutrition Month® brochures, bookmarks, Eat Right Nutrition Tips, and recipe handouts.
- Host a virtual “lunch and learn” session on healthy eating.
- Arrange a session on composting.
Original source: https://www.eatright.org/food/resources/national-nutrition-month/ideas-to-get-involved-in-nnm