Who’s ready to party? March is National Nutrition Month! To celebrate, I thought I’d try something new for a “good for you eats” post this week—a link-a-thon. Here’s a rundown of some great resources and some of my favorite nutrition-focused sites:

• First off, learn more about National Nutrition Month (NNM) at the American Dietetic Association’s EatRight.org. The theme for 2010’s NNM is “Nutrition from the Ground Up.” The site asks, what does the theme mean in your life? For me, I’d have to say that it relates to building general good nutritional habits (at the ground) and then building from there. If some of the things you add on aren’t as nutritious, that’s OK—because the base, or main parts, of your diet are healthy. How does “Nutrition from the Ground Up” translate into your life?

(Image from Eat Right)

• How long do you think weight loss diets have been around? Probably for longer than anyone can track down, but this Eat Right page shows you the diet trends since the early 1800s. It’s fascinating to see how some keep cycling through every few generations! Generally speaking, these are probably not the most nutritious plans :)

(Image from Lady Diet Tips)

• Many nutrition experts lately have been spreading the word about a national portion distortion issue. In fact, most restaurants serve portions two to four times as large as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends, according to a 2006 survey. With larger orders at restaurants becoming the norm, it’s more difficult for us to make smart dining choices size-wise as “regular” portions seem puny by comparison.
  • For a reminder of what a 300 calorie meal looks like, Diet Blog has you covered. In the mood for a quiz game? Try your hand at this portion “then and now” quiz from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
  • This handy tool from “Love Food Hate Waste” helps you calculate and measure the perfect portion size (based on UK recommendations, but still a good instrument!) depending on what food is being prepared and for how many.
• If you’re interested in tracking your food intake, the USDA’s MyPyramid Tracker is a fantastic find. You can input your eats to track them and the program will analyze the nutritional components. The Tracker also notes your progress related to the food group recommendations from MyPyramid. And if calorie counting is of interest, take a look at Nutrition Data. You must register, but it’s free and may be worthwhile if you’re looking to log, analyze and compare foods. 
  • Perhaps try using a tracking tool for a short period, then evaluate whether you find them helpful. It can be tedious and or stress-inducing for some, so only do what works for you!

(Image from Medline Plus)

• The Mayo Clinic has countless nutritious recipe recommendations. Take a look here! All Recipes has a new healthy recipe everyday. And of course magazines such as Cooking Light and Eating Well are a wealth of great information, recipes and tips!
• For a fun look at the eats of or tips from “normal people,” here are a few of my favorite foodie blogs: 
  • Eating Bender
  • Around the World in 340 Days
  • Eat Like Me
  • I Ate a Pie
  • Hungry Girl

These links barely scratch the surface of the wealth of wonderful nutrition resources out there, but these are a great amuse-bouche (Get it? Since we’re talking food?). I’ll be sure to pass along more links bite by bite, as time goes on. Now, I’d love to hear your take. What nutrition sites do you frequent for great information?