Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right

The 2014 National Nutrition Month® theme, “Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right”, encourages people to explore new foods and flavors, keeping taste and nutrition on their plate at every meal. Research confirms that taste is the number-one reason why one food is purchased over another. Extension Agent Kaye Kasza urges everyone to enjoy a variety of tastes to get a variety of nutrients.

Thanks to our extensive food transportation systems, there is a whole world of tasty and nutritious foods available today that are just waiting to be discovered. Expanding the range of foods you choose will add more nutrition and pleasure to each meal.

At the grocery store:

When shopping, make it a point to try one new fruit, vegetable or whole-grain every week. There are over 7500 varieties of apples, so start small by picking a different type of apple. Or try a different color potato or a new whole-grain. Eventually you’ll be comfortable picking entirely new things that you’ve never tried or heard of before. Our local stores offer a huge variety of foods; try something different this week!

Cooking at home:

Add variety to your staple dishes by varying the ways you cook them. Grill or broil the chicken you typically bake. Roast your vegetables for extra flavor. Add different spices or herbs for a special taste.

Kasza recommends limiting added sugars and reducing the major sources of solid fats. Avoid sweet drinks, and cut back on cakes, cookies, ice cream, cheese and fatty meats like sausages, hot dogs and bacon. “You don’t have to give up these foods entirely, but find ways to enjoy small amounts occasionally,” Kasza says.

The average adult has 10,000 taste buds, and people sense the same foods differently. Don’t be afraid to try new foods, flavors and taste combinations. There is truly a world of flavors to explore. Enjoy the taste of eating right.

For more information on nutrition and health, contact your local Extension Office: Baca County 719-523-6971, Bent County 719-456-0764, Cheyenne County 719-767-5716, Crowley County 719-267-5243, Kiowa County 719-438-5321, Otero County 719-254-7608, Prowers County 719-336-7734. Or find us on the web at: http://www.extension.colostate.edu/SEA.  CSU Extension offers up-to-date, unbiased, research-based information to families in Southeast Colorado. CSU Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.

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