[Re]connect with your food for National Nutrition Month

March 6, 2025 / Get Well

March is National Nutrition Month®, a time to focus on making informed food choices and developing healthy eating and physical activity habits.

What’s it about? This year’s theme, Food Connects Us, highlights the important role food plays in our health, culture and access to nutrition across all life stages.

This week, the Office of Employee Wellness and Wellbeing (OEWW) invites you to [re]connect with your food by learning more about where your food comes from and how to prepare nutritious meals at home.

Make nutrition easy: Cooking, meal planning and exploring food origins can help you make healthier choices while also saving money.

Tips to [re]connect with your food:

  1. Learn cooking and meal planning skills
    Preparing meals at home gives you control over ingredients, portion sizes and cooking methods. Simple substitutions—such as using more fruits and vegetables or choosing lower-cost, nutritious ingredients—can enhance the quality of your meals. Please visit NOVA’s Healthy Nutrition Padlet to take a recipe and/or share a recipe that you and your family have enjoyed.

  2. Utilize community food resources
    For those seeking support, programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); Women, Infants and Children (WIC); and local food banks offer access to nutritious foods. Visit NOVA’s Office of Financial Stability and Advocacy’s helpful community resources page for more information and support.

  3. Explore where your food comes from
    Consider visiting a farmers’ market to learn about how your food is grown or raised. If space allows, starting a home or community garden can provide fresh, homegrown produce and deepen your connection to food. Explore resources such as Edible Garden from Virginia Cooperative Extension for guidance to start your own garden now.

By reconnecting with food through cooking, gardening and resource awareness, you can make healthier, more informed choices. Even one small change can make a difference! Stay tuned for next week’s Nutrition Month tips and call to action.  

—Dahlia Henry-Tett, chief wellness officer, HR

The image features a celebration of National Nutrition Month with a green background and various healthy foods. On the left, there is a bundle of fresh asparagus. In the center, bold white and green text reads "Happy National Nutrition Month!" with the hashtag #NationalNutritionMonth below it. Surrounding the text are decorative elements like a mushroom and a lemon slice. Below the text, a logo for "Food Connects Us" is displayed, indicating the campaign is led by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. On the right side, there is a bowl of yogurt topped with blueberries, banana slices, granola, and chia seeds, along with a small pile of almonds below it. The design highlights nutritious food choices and promotes healthy eating.