‘FUEL for the FUTURE’: During National Nutrition Month and beyond, commissaries encourage patrons to save money while improving healthy eating habits, preparing more home meals
FORT LEE, Va. – During March, the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) joins with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in celebrating National Nutrition Month. “Fuel for the Future,” this year’s mantra, focuses on sustainability, saving money while staying nourished and modeling healthy eating habits in the home.
According to DeCA Health and Wellness Program Manager Deborah Harris, a registered dietitian who holds a Master of Public Health degree and is a certified diabetes educator, several ways to fuel for the future are to save money while choosing nutrient-dense foods, instilling the importance of a healthy eating pattern into your children and preparing more meals at home.
The commissary should be your first defense when looking to stay nourished while saving money, said Scott Daly, DeCA’s chief of Commissary Store Brands.
“One way to achieve this goal is with Commissary Brand food items,” he said. “Our Freedom’s Choice brand has an ever-growing number of items from all food groups that qualify as Dietitian-Approved Thumb items. Choosing these will provide nutritious foods for your family while saving you money at the register.”
Honey Mustard Glazed Grilled Chicken is a dietitian-approved recipe featuring ingredients that are all available within the Freedom’s Choice brand. There are additional recipe resources on commissaries.com that will help patrons incorporate Commissary Store Brand food items into their menu planning.
When it comes to children’s nutritious eating habits and modeling these behaviors, there’s no place like home to position them for success in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, Harris said.
“Eating a variety of foods from all food groups and in various forms from fresh to frozen, canned to dried, all available under the Freedom’s Choice brand, will prepare your family to adopt nutrient-rich eating patterns in the future and save on your grocery bill,” said Harris. “Preparing these meals at home will teach cooking and meal preparation skills, facilitate introducing new flavors and foods from around the world and create special memories around the family dinner table.”
To learn more about National Nutrition Month or ways to help promote good nutrition, visit http://www.eatright.org/nnm/. Be sure to look for other useful commissary-specific information on commissaries.com under the “Healthy Living” tab.
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About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit, saving authorized patrons thousands of dollars annually on their purchases compared to similar products at commercial retailers. The discounted prices include a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.