You may be aware from the Qmee Facebook page, March is National Nutrition Month! So, this month, we’re on a mission to start eating healthy whilst still saving money.

National Nutrition Month is a nutrition education and information campaign, created annually, by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The campaign focuses on the importance of making informed food choices and developing good eating and physical activity habits.

This year, the theme for National Nutrition Month is “Put your best fork forward” – this is a reminder that we all hold the tool to make healthier food choices. Making small changes during this month, and continuously over time, will help improve your health now and in the future.

Being healthy consists of two main things; eating the right foods and exercising. Doing these together will help maintain a healthy body weight, reduce the risk of diseases (including heart disease) and also to make you feel healthier and happier overall.

So, to start with, what are some of the foods we should be eating as part of our daily diet?

• Vegetables – if we half fill our dinner plate with vegetables every evening and that’s half of our dinner providing the nutrients we need
• Fruit – all types of fruit offer health benefits by providing minerals, nutrients and antioxidants; getting berries in to your every-day diet is great because they’re a known “superfood”
• Whole grains and whole wheat – swapping white bread and white rice to brown is an easy way to lower what is known as a “bad” carbohydrate; it’s a simple way to increase your intake of whole grains and whole wheat
• Protein – poultry, lean meats and seafood are all healthy sources of protein and can easily be made in to fantastic meals

When it comes to food, it’s all about balance. If you eat fruit every day with your breakfast, low fat food for lunch, and your dinner is packed with nutrients, it’s ok to have a bit of chocolate every now and again. There won’t ever be a diet that suits everyone, so it’s important to follow an eating plan that’s packed with foods that you like and that fits with your lifestyle. It’s also important to balance your lifestyle and eating habits with exercise.

There are lots of ideas online for how to maintain a healthy lifestyle with smart eating habits – and don’t worry, it doesn’t have to cost more to eat healthier!

Take a look at our Facebook page to enter our #NationalNutritionMonth competition and have the chance to earn $50/£40 in your piggybank.

Do you have any tips or ideas on healthy eating?