Eating Healthy

What you eat can make a huge difference in your health and how you feel. Listed below are some resources and tools to help you make healthy food choices.

- Fruits & Vegetables
- Healthy Food Choices

- Eating Healthy on a Budget

- Healthy Eating for Kids, Teens & Families
- Healthy Recipes

Fruits & Vegetables

      Fruits and Veggies- More Matters® - Eat colorful meals full of fruits and vegetables. 

      Local foods - Eating locally grown foods is good for your health, the environment and our local economy. Buying locally grown foods can mean your food is fresher and you know more about how it was grown.

·         Find a local farm.

·         Join a community supported agriculture farm.

·         Farm Fresh Recipes.

      Visit our local produce and farmers markets 

·      Cowlitz Community Farmers Market- 7^th Avenue and Washington Street, April - October, Saturdays 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. and May- October, Tuesdays 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

·       Kelso Bridge Market – 100 Allen Street and Pacific Avenue, May - September, Sunday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

·       Payton’s Produce – 1132 Washington Way, Monday- Saturday 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

·      Woodland Farmers Market – Horseshoe Lake Park, every Friday starting June 24th through September 30th from 3 -7 p.m. Current information can be found at www.woodlandfarmersmarket.org.

Healthy Food Choices

      Select healthy foods - Myplate provides interactive tools to help you make smart choices and find a balance between food and physical activity.

      Read the label - Test your food label knowledge.  

      Learn about portion sizes - Take the portion distortion quiz.

      Eat healthy at work - Encourage your workplace to adopt healthy food guidelines and energize your vending machines using Fit Pick®.

      Prevent chronic disease - The following Web sites offer information on healthy choices and reducing the chances of developing chronic diseases.  

·         Everyday Choices for a Healthier Life

·         Small Steps (US Department of Health and Human Services)

Eating Healthy on a Budget

Click the link to resources and tips to help stretch your food dollars.

·      Eating Right When Moneys Tight (United States Department of Agriculture)

Healthy Eating for Kids, Teens, & Families

Check out the following Web sites loaded with nutrition information for children and families.

      Young children - Nutrition information for infants and toddlers. (Washington State Department of Health)    

      School age - Kids Health helps parents and children plan a healthy day with nutrition and physical activity. (Nemours foundation)

      Teens - What’s a healthy weight? How can I eat well to excel in sports? Is a vegetarian diet healthy? Get information on these topics and more at  (Nemours foundation)

      Family meals - Learn ways to make mealtime fun for the whole family.

      Eat better, eat together - (Washington State University)

      Maintaining a Healthy Weight - (National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute)

      Loving Your Family Feeding Their Future - (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education)

Healthy Recipes

Click on the links below to find new ways to prepare healthy foods that your family will enjoy.  

      Fruits and Veggies More Matters ® (Centers for Disease Prevention)

      Recipe Finder (United States Department of Agriculture)

      Whole Grains Council Recipes

      National Dairy Council

Related Health Department Web Links:

Assessments

Food Safety

What services are provided by health education professionals for Cowlitz County?

·      Offer nutrition education information and resources to community members.

·      Promote and encourage policy and environmental changes to support healthy food choices through Cowlitz On the Move Healthy Lifestyles Coalition.

For more information, contact Jenn Schapman at (360) 414-5599 ext 6433.