HAWC celebrates National Nutrition Month with new cookbook

  • Published
  • By Sarah Olaciregui
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  March is National Nutrition Month. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics chose this year's theme, "Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day," since food preferences, lifestyles, cultural and ethnic traditions and health concerns all affect a person's food choices.

Here at Hanscom, the Health and Wellness Center will be rolling out some new initiatives and programs throughout the month in honor of the observance. One such initiative is the Healthy Hanscom cookbook, beginning March 4.

"We would like to invite all members of the base community to join us in creating a Healthy Hanscom cookbook," said Annemarie Pease, HAWC dietician. "If a member of the Hanscom community is interested in sharing their favorite healthy dish to be added to the cookbook, then they will receive an incentive item for that recipe."

Once Pease reviews the recipe to ensure it is low in fat, sugar and sodium, it will be added to the cookbook.

"This is one way for people to take a look at some of the meals they are currently making at home and to gain some additional ideas from the local community," she said.

Will Carpenter, HAWC health promotions manager, stresses that all recipes are welcome, including appetizers, main entrees, side dishes and desserts.

"This is really a community effort," he said. "We're particularly looking for recipes that are healthy, and do not take a long time to prepare."

The HAWC staff is also teaming up with Civilian Health Promotion Services to collect the recipes. Civilians who participate in a cardiac risk profile screening with Orlagh Pawlyk, CHPS coordinator, can leave recipes with her and she will pass them along to the dietician.

At the end of the month, the team will compile the recipes and send out the cookbook electronically via email, on their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/66MDSHAWC and other electronic means.

Anyone who would like to submit their healthy recipe may do so by dropping it off the HAWC in Building 1540, leaving it with CHPS during a CRP or emailing 66.mds.hawc@hanscom.af.mil.

Additionally, the HAWC team will travel with CHPS throughout the month for CRPs. Those interested can find the team March 11 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Fitness Center, March 12 from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at in the Brown Building lobby, March 13 from 7 to 9 a.m. at the Hanscom Conference Center in the Bedford Room and March 19 from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Education and Training Center.