Need some motivation to eat healthier? This Friday marks the start of National Nutrition Month – an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to highlight the value of nutrition education and making informed, healthy food choices.

Foodlink, the regional food bank that hosts nutrition education workshops, classes and demonstrations around the community on a daily basis, has once again planned a month full of fun activities to help promote the annual awareness campaign.

DOWNLOAD & PRINT: Our 2019 National Nutrition Month Calendar

“Foodlink’s dedication to nutrition is apparent year round and is a shared value across the entire organization,” said Margaret Liljedahl, Foodlink’s Nutrition Education Manager. “This March we are using National Nutrition Month to highlight the evolution that the field of nutrition has undergone in the last 40 years, mirroring the evolution of Foodlink as we celebrate our 40 years of serving the community.”

To kick things off, Foodlink’s Executive Chef, Casey Holenbeck, will host a cook-off demonstration with Don Harter, the Regional Chef for Wegmans Food Markets for Rochester and the Southern Tier. This Food Network-inspired event – similar to the hit show, “Chopped,” will feature Holenbeck and Harter demonstrating their culinary creativity by creating dishes from mystery ingredients, including fresh produce from Foodlink’s Curbside Market. Each chef will have assistance in the kitchen from participants in the Foodlink Career Fellowship – a culinary training program launched this past July.

Foodlink operates several distinct nutrition education programs – all with similar goals of empowering people to make healthy choices – especially for those with limited food budgets. Educators with Cooking Matters, Just Say Yes to Fruits and Vegetables and Eat Smart New York share healthy recipes, nutrition lessons, shopping tips with a wide range of audiences in the Rochester area. A new initiative, Edible Education, teaches children about gardening and making healthy meals with fresh produce – all while connecting schools to other Foodlink resources and programs.

After the kickoff event, other highlights for National Nutrition Month include:

 March 6 – TV Time! A different Foodlink nutrition education program will be featured each Wednesday on Good Day Rochester. Tune in at 8:40 a.m. to learn more about how our programs are building healthier communities!

 March 8 – Cooking Matters at the Store! This interactive grocery store tour gives shoppers tips on how to shop for healthy foods with a limited budget. We’re bringing the tour to the Tops at 450 West Ave. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

 March 20 – Trivia Night! Join Foodlink’s staff at Three Heads Brewing on March 20 (7 p.m.) for a nutrition-themed night of trivia.

 March 21 & March 28 – JSY at the Market! Our educators will return to the City of Rochester Public Market to give free, weekly demonstrations in a brand new kitchen space in the Winter B Shed. Join us for weekly workshops at 9 and 10 a.m.