Nutrition

For March’s Nutrition Education tip, SMAA Meals on Wheels Dietician, Elizabeth Varga, explains how to stay full with nutrient-dense foods this spring. What does nutrient-dense food mean? Nutrient dense foods are typically full of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients important for our health. These foods often don’t contain high amounts of salt, added sugars, or

By: Elizabeth Varga, SMAA Meals on Wheels Dietician MyPlate is a great resource based on recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It’s an easy picture to guide you in creating a balanced meal that you can enjoy! A balanced meal includes half of your plate in fruits or veggies, 3 oz of protein, and

By: Elizabeth Varga, SMAA Meals on Wheels Dietician  A common misconception is that all canned foods are bad. This comes from the idea that they contain too much salt or don’t have many nutrients after processing. This isn’t necessarily the case! Canned foods, especially fruits and vegetables, still contain many nutrients even after processing. These

By: Elizabeth Varga, Meals on Wheels Dietician As we head into the fall and winter months, there are a few nutrients that we are naturally more likely to be deficient in, including Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Calcium, B Vitamins, Iron, and Zinc. These nutrients help keep our immunity up to prevent sicknesses as the seasons

By Elizabeth Varga, Meals on Wheels Dietician Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that our bodies cannot digest. Instead of breaking down into sugar molecules, it passes through the body, helping regulate our body’s use of sugar, making us feel full longer, and keeping us regular. There are two types of fiber: Soluble fiber dissolves