Food Connects Us
By Lauren Chase, RDN, LD, CDCES
March is National Nutrition Month and the theme for 2025 is “Food Connects Us.” This is a great time to think about food and how it connects and sustains us. Here are some ways that you can take an active approach to improving your nutrition.
Connect in the kitchen
Consider taking a local or virtual cooking class. Learn about essential cooking skills and gain confidence in creating healthy, delicious meals. Check out some of the resources below:
Long Table Farm is a farm in Eugene that offers in-person niche cooking classes. Sign up here.
America’s Test Kitchen has online cooking courses for all skill levels, starting at about $20 per month for access to over three hundred lessons. Check it out here.
American Diabetes Association provides free virtual cooking classes for all skill levels. These classes teach diabetes-friendly cooking techniques, but anyone can join! Register here.
Connect with your community
Sign up for a community supported agriculture (CSA) to support local farms and enjoy fresh produce. Sometimes, CSAs deliver locally grown produce or locally raised meat and poultry goods to your doorstep. In other situations, you can pick up your box at a central location. Consider the following CSA options in Lane County:
Camas Swale Farm in Coburg, Oregon.
Deck Family Farm in Junction City, Oregon.
FOOD for Lane County and Youth Farm CSA
Connect with family and friends
Share more meals with family and friends this month. It could improve your health! Research shows that families who eat meals together have a lower risk for obesity and disordered eating behaviors1. Families that share meals tend to make more nutritious food choices. Keep family meals simple and have fun by using canned or frozen vegetables, picking up a bagged salad kit, or cooking a family-friendly recipe from FoodHero.org. Try following the Plate Method for balanced, nutritious family meals.
Connect with your dietitian
Sometimes you need more personalized nutrition care. Here at Cascade Health, our dietitians can help you set realistic goals and develop a unique healthy eating plan. Contact us at 541-228-3020 to see if nutrition therapy is right for you!