March 2025 National Nutrition Month – "Food Connects Us"
By Grace Strahan
Happy March and Happy National Nutrition Month! This year, the theme is ‘Food Connects Us.’ During this month, we invite you to learn about food, food choices, eating for health, and how these choices connect you to food. To deepen your understanding of how food shapes your life, it’s important to consider not just the act of eating for everyday life, but how you can connect with food in ways that nourish both your body and your well-being.
What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word “food”? Some might think of their favorite dish, restaurant, snack, or even the next time they get to go eat. But you might also think about family, a memory, or even stress. Food connects you to many different parts of your life and is arguably one of the most important things in this world, I mean… you must eat to survive right!? But how about finding ways to connect with food on a more personal level?
Food & You!
One of the most important things you can do in life is learn how to personally connect to and genuinely enjoy food. When you enjoy your meals, it not only enhances the overall experience but can also improve digestion, as your body is better able to process food in a relaxed and positive state. By being more attuned to the foods you enjoy, it becomes easier to maintain a balanced nutritional intake and listen to your individual needs, ultimately supporting your physical and mental well-being. Here are some ideas on how to build a deeper connection with food:
- Connect with your body and its needs by exploring your hunger and fullness cues. Hunger cues can look different for everyone. You may get a physical sensation where your stomach begins growling to indicate that you are hungry. You may have difficulty concentrating, a headache, irritability, anxiety, shakiness, dizziness, and cravings, or you may simply have a desire to eat food. It’s important to pay attention to these signals and try to address hunger before it becomes more intense, like dizziness or irritability, which can be signs you’re getting too hungry. Learning what those hunger cues are and being able to identify them can help you learn when you should eat a meal or a snack.
- Connect with the foods that nourish you and help you feel the best. Tap into your physical sensations to build awareness of how your body feels following a meal or snack. Do you feel energized, satisfied, or motivated? Learning the different health components of foods and how they can provide you with energy and nutrients may encourage you to select those foods more frequently.
- Connect with your food choices by finding freedom in them. Learning and trusting that all foods can fit into a healthy diet, including desserts, may help reduce any feelings of guilt and/or unnecessary restriction. Identifying that while foods, such as fruits and vegetables, can satisfy your biological and health needs, other types of foods, such as baked goods or packaged foods, can play an important role in making a meal feel satisfying or enjoyable and not just physically filling. Finding a balance between both allows you to nourish your body while also enjoying the foods that make you feel your best and help you support your overall well-being.
- Connect with food through the process of growing it yourself. If you are someone who doesn’t mind a project, you can purchase your own seeds or seedlings at the beginning of spring and learn how to garden and grow your own food. If you don’t have the space for a garden at home, there are community-shared gardens around Fort Collins where you can grow your own fruits and vegetables.
Food & Community
Food is a powerful way to build connections – whether it’s through the vibrant community of local Farmers’ Markets or the moments shared around a meal with loved ones. Here are some ways to connect with food and your community:
- Connect with food by going to a Farmers’ Market. In Colorado, we are fortunate to have access to wonderful Farmers’ Markets. Farmers’ Markets are one of the best ways to connect with food on a local level and try something new. By getting to know the farmers, you can learn more about where your food comes from, how it’s grown, and the care that goes into it. Supporting local farmers not only strengthens your community but also helps reduce the environmental impact of food production by minimizing transportation and supporting sustainable practices. Check out this article to help you find a Farmers’ Market near you!
- Connect with food by sharing a meal with your friends and family. When you share a meal with friends and loved ones, you share your memories, stories, and laughter, which has a beneficial impact on your brain, leading to a positive effect on your body too. This can foster deeper connections with friends, loved ones, and food. Research has shown that when you dedicate time to cooking meals with loved ones, you may increase your intake of fruits and vegetables, lower the feeling of ‘needing’ to diet, increase self-esteem, and you may even lower your risk of depression. Sharing food not only strengthens your bonds but also plays a crucial role in your physical and mental well-being, further enriching your connection with what you eat.
Food & Culture
As sharing meals with loved ones brings you closer to others and nourishes your well-being, another way to deepen your connection with food is by exploring the rich cultural stories and traditions behind it. Discovering new cuisines and understanding the history of the foods you eat can add an exciting layer of connection and satisfaction to your meals. Here are some ideas on how you can connect with other cultures’ food:
- Connect with the cuisine you are preparing by doing research. Seek out recipes and blogs written by people from the regions you’re interested in. These blogs may offer authentic recipes, cooking tips, and insights into the cultural importance of the dishes, allowing you to recreate them in your own home while learning more about the people and traditions that shaped them.
- Connect with cultural foods you wouldn’t have thought of on your own. Adventure down the ‘Global Food’ aisles at your local grocery store, visit an international market, or check out a new cookbook at the library to discover a world of flavors right at your fingertips. Each of these options provides an opportunity to learn about different culinary traditions and experiment with new ingredients in your kitchen.
- Connect with diverse foods by hosting or attending local community dinners that celebrate holidays significant to various cultures. These events offer a chance to experience authentic dishes while building connections with others in your community and learning about different holidays and traditions.
- When dining out, connect with new cuisines by seeking out diverse local restaurants. These eateries often provide a unique, authentic taste of a particular region, giving you the chance to broaden your palate and enjoy a new dining experience.
- Traveling is one of the best times to connect with new food. Make it a point to try new dishes unique to the area you are visiting. Whether it’s street food or a regional specialty, sampling local cuisine is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in the culture and create lasting memories.
- When sharing a meal with friends and family, engage in conversations about the different dishes they grew up with or that are a part of their culture. These personal stories may deepen your understanding of diverse food traditions and may reveal the significance behind certain meals, enhancing your connection to the food you eat.
March marks National Nutrition Month, and this year’s theme, “Food Connects Us,” invites you to explore the many ways food influences your life. Food is not just about sustenance; it’s about the connections we make through it, whether by nurturing your own body, bonding with others, or celebrating cultural traditions. By learning to recognize our hunger cues and making intentional, mindful food choices, you may foster a deeper connection with what you eat. Sharing meals with loved ones strengthens emotional bonds and contributes to your physical and mental well-being. Exploring diverse cultural cuisines and understanding the stories behind them can also enhance your food experience. From attending local Farmers’ Markets to trying new recipes and exploring international foods, there are countless ways to enrich your connection with food, community, and culture. Ultimately, this month encourages you to reflect on how food not only nourishes your body but also ties you to the people and traditions that shape our world.
As you explore the diverse world of food and deepen your connection with different cultural cuisines and your local food environment, it’s also important to consider how food impacts your health and well-being. Understanding the nutritional needs that support your lifestyle can enhance your overall connection to food. Connecting with nutrition professionals can provide valuable guidance on how to nourish your body the best way possible. At the Kendall Reagan Nutrition Center, our team of nutrition professionals is here to support you in making informed choices about the food you eat and its connection to your health, helping you live a happier, healthier life.
Get to know the author:
Originally from Iowa, Grace Strahan is a Dietetic Intern studying to become a Registered Dietitian this year. Connecting with food is a personal matter for Grace where she loves to enjoy time with friends and family over a shared meal anytime she can.
More Information:
For additional resources for healthy eating, check out these programs from our registered dietitian nutritionists. Find delicious and healthy recipes on our Recipes page! More health tips are also available at the College of Health and Human Sciences Pinterest board. Lastly, don’t forget to sign up for the KRNC monthly newsletter!