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.
- Promote National Nutrition Month® on outdoor billboards. Write to nnm@eatright.org for more information.
- Invite the author of a nutrition book to speak at your group’s meeting.
- 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®.
- Sponsor a “dial-a-dietitian ” night through a local radio station. Callers may ask nutrition questions for RDNs to answer. Even better if a local television station will participate.
- 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 National Nutrition Month® presentation at your local park district or senior center if safe. Otherwise, consider virtual options during the pandemic.
- 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 from the National Nutrition Month® catalog. 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. Handout “20 Ways to Enjoy More Fruits and Vegetables.”
- 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 during the pandemic, 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.
- Conduct a “MyPlate Champion” challenge for your classroom.
- 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. Award National Nutrition Month® t-shirts, mugs or other items as prizes.
- Organize a socially-distanced healthy potluck. Have each person cook their dish and eat together through an online video platform. Make sure each of the food groups is represented.
- 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.
- Conduct a series exercise classes with your colleagues online. Recruit a local fitness or yoga instructor to lead a class virtually. Give each participant a National Nutrition Month® t-shirt, pedometer or water bottle plus healthy eating handouts.
- Host a virtual “lunch and learn” session on healthy eating.
- Arrange a session on composting.
- Create a “shared tables” resource for your school district (if local laws allow).
Grocery Store or Supermarket
- Work with a local grocery store to promote National Nutrition Month® with posters and handouts.
- Conduct a virtual supermarket tour to provide label reading opportunities and information about healthy food choices. Have one person follow you with a camera while you conduct a tour for people who join online. Offer a special tour for kids focused on selecting healthy snacks. Provide “Smart Snacking Tips for Kids” National Nutrition Month® brochures and copies of selected National Nutrition Month® activity sheets.
- Organize a supervised scavenger hunt for food items needed to make a healthy recipe.
- Set up a time for a registered dietitian nutritionists to answer questions on nutrition on your social media page.
- Ask the local store manager to run National Nutrition Month® audio PSAs in the store during March.
- Offer a virtual nutrition education session that offers suggestions on “how to eat healthy on a budget.”
- Host an online class on recreating meals with leftovers.
Original source: https://www.eatright.org/food/resources/national-nutrition-month/ideas-to-get-involved-in-nnm