National Nutrition Month – Connect with Food

Every March, National Nutrition Month (NNM) is celebrated all throughout the country, from clinical offices to community spaces. Sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (“AND”), National Nutrition Month is designed to share knowledge and skills on nutrition and physical activity. This year’s theme is Food Connects Us. In addition, each week AND highlights a specific focus around this theme. This week, the focus is – Connect with Food. 

For many, food can be a symbol of identity, culture, and tradition. It can take a form that unifies loved ones together during holidays, or it can have even deeper roots attached to it. This month, for example, many in Cambridge and across the globe celebrate Ramadan, a time of fasting and heightened spirituality for Muslims that includes shared meals at sunset each evening breaking the fast. 

In February, the Cambridge Public Health Department’s Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Unit utilized this theme as well by sharing handouts at an event highlighting the connection food has to African heritage throughout the globe, including Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the United States. 

We can also think of our connection with food in the way that is available to us. Throughout the city, Cambridge offers resources for individuals living with food insecurity, including food banks, Farmers Markets, WIC sites, and grocery stores that accept EBT benefits. For a complete list of these services and locations, please visit our Food Resource Guide.

Lastly, connecting with food can be an explorative experience through cooking. Whether you’re a full-time cook or just starting out learning the basics, cooking and preparing your own meals can help you grow a sense of connection to your food. Many organizations in Cambridge offer cooking classes to learn different cooking techniques or different cuisines. 

As a part of our work, HEAL collaborates with several community partners to put together cooking workshops. If your organization would be interested in collaborating to host a cooking class or demonstration, please reach out to Norah Ismail, the Public Health Nutritionist, at [email protected].