The Village at Marymount Celebrates National Nutrition Month During March

“Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day” is the theme for this year’s National Nutrition Month celebration, which will be held nationwide throughout March.

On March 20, Peter Valencic, MS, RDLD, The Village at Marymount’s dietitian, will discuss “Become Protein Proactive,” which will focus on the various types of protein foods and their impact on your health. The presentation will be held at 2:30 p.m. in Villa St. Joseph’s Assisi Hall.

As part of the presentation, Andrea Ward, Director of Food Service, and The Village at Marymount’s culinary team will participate in an Iron Chef Mystery Basket Cook-Off of a protein food. The public is invited to enjoy their recipes, learn more about making smart food choices, and understand the role good nutrition plays in helping you to feel your best.

“The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics remains committed to the nutritional well-being of the American public,” said Mary Davies, RDLD, a Registered Dietitian at The Village at Marymount. “No matter what your health concerns, a registered dietitian can work with you to develop a daily meal plan that is consistent with your food preferences, level of physical activity and lifestyle.”

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics President Ethan Bergman says “Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day,” this year’s theme, encourages consumers to include the foods they love as part of a healthful eating plan that is tailored to their lifestyles, traditions, health needs and, of course, tastes. 

Initiated in 1973 as a week-long event, National Nutrition Week became a month-long observance in 1980 in response to growing public interest in nutrition. To commemorate the dedication of registered dietitians as the leading advocates for advancing the nutritional status of Americans and people around the world, the second Wednesday of each March is celebrated as Registered Dietitian Day. This year marks the sixth annual Registered Dietitian Day.

Launched in June 2011, USDA's MyPlate replaced MyPyramid as the government's primary food group symbol as an easy-to-understand visual cue to help consumers adopt healthy eating habits consistent with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. Dividing the plate into four sections: fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins, as well as a glass representing dairy products, it shows consumers how they can incorporate the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines into every meal.