March is all about bringing awareness to making smart food choices and creating healthy eating & physical activity habits. Unfortunately, 50% of Americans don’t consume nearly enough fruits and vegetables in their diet. While it’s always important to pay attention to our health, it’s the perfect time to really check-in with yourself. Are you getting the right amount of nutrients? Are you treating your body with care? If you answered no to any of these questions, we have some helpful and creative tips to staying healthy and fit!
If you’re out of ideas for healthy and innovative meals, have your friends over for themed food nights to spike your creativity and learn a thing or 2 from your friends and family. Eating the same thing all the time gets dull, and hosting a food party once or twice a month will make cooking more exciting. We’ve listed some ideas for your convenience and included a recipe for each category!
- Host themed food nights with friends & family
- DIY taco night – Cauliflower Tacos
- Curry night – Panang Curry
- Mediterranean night – Leek Socca with Cashew Cheeze
- Flatbread night – Rustic Tomato Flatbread
- Breakfast for dinner – Vegan Chickpea Omelette
- Challenge yourself & swap healthy food substitutions
For the month of March, set a challenge for yourself to swap out unhealthy food & drink choices with healthy alternatives. Over the course of the month, you’ll notice a change in how you feel and perform throughout the day. Below are some ideas for healthy swaps.- Soda – Kombucha, sparkling water, green tea
- Sugary cereal – Chia pudding, oatmeal, yogurt parfait
- Potato chips – Roasted chickpeas, air-fried kale, baked beet chips
- Sugary dessert – no-bake energy balls, banana “nice” cream, homemade granola
- Meal prep for the week
Meal prepping is always a great way to plan healthy meals ahead of time and prevent unnecessary snacking and temptations. If you’ve never meal prepped before, set aside one day of the week to make all of your meals and package them into containers labeled Monday through Friday. Even better, you won’t have to cook or spend money on food the rest of the week! It’s also a great way to portion your meals, so you don’t overindulge. If you need any ideas on meal prep tips, we’ve got you covered.- Breakfast – Flavored overnight oats with fruit (chocolate peanut butter, strawberry, coconut lime, pumpkin)
- Lunch – Buddha bowls (base of quinoa/rice/greens, vegetables, tofu/tempeh, dressing)
- Dinner – Black bean chili, red lentil Dahl, chickpea curry, spicy tofu noodles
- Always keep a reusable water bottle handy
If you struggle with water intake, a great reminder is to always carry a reusable water bottle with you wherever you go, due to the exposure effect. It’s important to consistently drink water throughout the day, rather than just gulp water in the morning or night. To help you meet your water quota, we’ve rounded up some helpful hacks for you.- Infuse your water with fruit and mint leaves
- Treat your water bottle like your phone – don’t leave the house without it!
- Buy a water bottle with marked times to drink water
- Take a hike!
Nutrition includes the way you treat your body. To sustain a healthy lifestyle, it’s crucial that you get your physical activity in and spend time outdoors. There’s no better place to stay fit than Hawaii! With over hundreds of hikes to choose from, you can dedicate one day of each week to exploring our aina. To get started, research hikes on the island, grab your water bottle and let’s go!
We hope you make the most of National Nutrition Month. If you are beginning your journey to health & wellness, we’ve built a Buddha Bowl template for you, so you can start experimenting with different ingredients and flavors. Enjoy!
