September 14 – National Food is Medicine Day

National Food is Medicine Day is Today!

Download the 38 Hertz Celebration Book with 365 days of celebrations!

HOW TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL FOOD IS MEDICINE DAY STEP-BY-STEP

•  Read “The 100 Healthiest Foods on the Planet.”
•  Find a new healthy medicinal food snack.
•  Take a course on Food as Medicine.
•  Enjoy this Pinterest search on Food as Medicine.  Try some!
• If you love the article image, purchase it on these fun products on Zazzle!

FEATURED ITEM FOR FOOD IS MEDICINE DAY

National Food is Medicine Day is a day to celebrate the healing power of food. The day is promoted by health organizations dedicated to promoting the use of whole foods and plant-based diets to prevent and treat chronic disease.

Hippocrates, the father of medicine, believed that food was medicine and that “all disease begins in the gut.” This belief was passed down through the ages, and National Food is Medicine Day celebrates this ancient wisdom.

NATIONAL FOOD IS MEDICINE DAY:  A BRIEF HISTORY OF FOOD AS MEDICINE

Throughout history, food has been used as medicine. Ancient civilizations utilized herbs, spices, and specific foods to cure ailments and promote overall health. Hippocrates, known as the father of modern medicine, famously said, “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.” In traditional Chinese medicine, diet is considered one of the five pillars of health, with different foods recommended for different ailments.

Today, modern research is discovering the healing properties of various foods, such as the anti-inflammatory benefits of turmeric and the heart-healthy effects of dark chocolate. As we continue to learn and study the history of food as medicine, we may discover even more ways to use what we eat to heal our bodies and prevent illness.

100 WAYS TO CELEBRATE FOOD IS MEDICINE DAY

1. Healthy Cooking Class: Attend a cooking class focused on preparing nutritious meals using whole ingredients.
2. Farmers Market Visit: Explore your local farmers market to discover fresh, organic produce and artisanal food products.
3. Nutrition Workshop: Participate in a nutrition workshop to learn about the healing properties of different foods and how to incorporate them into your diet.
4. Meal Prep Party: Host a meal prep party with friends or family to batch cook healthy meals for the week ahead.
5. Gardening Session: Spend time in the garden planting herbs, fruits, and vegetables to cultivate your own nutritious produce.
6. Smoothie Making Contest: Organize a smoothie making contest where participants create delicious and nutritious smoothie recipes using fresh ingredients.
7. Healthy Recipe Swap: Gather friends or colleagues for a healthy recipe swap, sharing favorite dishes and cooking tips.
8. Group Hike: Enjoy a scenic hike with friends or family, followed by a picnic featuring wholesome snacks and refreshments.
9. Yoga and Meditation: Attend a yoga and meditation session focused on mindfulness and holistic wellness.
10. Nutrition Documentary Screening: Host a screening of a nutrition documentary followed by a discussion on the importance of food as medicine.
11. Community Garden Volunteering: Volunteer at a community garden to support efforts in promoting access to fresh, nutritious food for all.
12. Herbal Tea Blending Workshop: Learn about the health benefits of various herbs and create your own custom herbal tea blends.
13. Cookbook Club: Start a cookbook club where members select recipes from health-focused cookbooks to prepare and share together.
14. Healthy Potluck: Organize a healthy potluck where everyone brings a nutritious dish to share, showcasing the diversity of wholesome meals.
15. Group Grocery Shopping Trip: Go on a group grocery shopping trip with friends or family to explore new healthy food options together.
16. Meal Planning Session: Host a meal planning session where participants can brainstorm and create personalized meal plans tailored to their nutritional needs.
17. Fitness Class Challenge: Challenge friends or colleagues to join a fitness class together, such as a dance workout, HIIT session, or yoga flow.
18. DIY Spice Blending: Experiment with creating your own spice blends using herbs and spices known for their health benefits.
19. Home Garden Harvesting: Harvest fruits, vegetables, and herbs from your home garden and incorporate them into delicious meals.
20. Mindful Eating Exercise: Practice mindful eating by savoring each bite of a nutritious meal and focusing on the flavors, textures, and sensations.
21. Food Photography Workshop: Learn the art of food photography and styling, capturing the beauty of nutritious dishes to inspire others.
22. Cooking Demo at a Local Community Center: Volunteer to lead a cooking demonstration at a local community center, showcasing simple and healthy recipes.
23. Outdoor Picnic: Organize an outdoor picnic in a scenic location, featuring an array of fresh salads, sandwiches, and fruit platters.
24. DIY Herb Garden: Create a DIY herb garden using recycled materials, providing an endless supply of fresh herbs for cooking and seasoning.
25. Healthy Baking Party: Host a healthy baking party where guests can make and decorate nutritious treats like energy balls, granola bars, and fruit muffins.
26. Nutrition Trivia: Test your knowledge of nutrition facts with a fun trivia game focused on the health benefits of different foods.
27. Food Bingo: Play a game of bingo using images or names of nutritious foods instead of numbers.
28. Healthy Recipe Relay: Divide into teams and race to assemble a healthy recipe using ingredients provided, promoting teamwork and creativity.
29. Ingredient Scavenger Hunt: Organize a scavenger hunt where participants search for specific healthy ingredients in the kitchen or grocery store.
30. Healthy Cooking Challenge: Challenge participants to a cooking competition where they must create a nutritious dish within a set time limit.
31. Fruit and Vegetable Charades: Act out the names of various fruits and vegetables for others to guess in a lively game of charades.
32. Guess the Herb: Blindfold participants and have them smell or taste different herbs, guessing each one correctly to win points.
33. Food Memory Matching Game: Create pairs of cards featuring images of healthy foods and play a memory matching game to find matching pairs.
34. Cooking Class Relay: Set up cooking stations with ingredients and instructions for a healthy recipe, and have teams compete in a relay-style cooking class.
35. Nutrient Match-Up: Match foods with their corresponding nutrients in a game that educates players about the nutritional value of different foods.
36. Healthy Food Pictionary: Draw and guess pictures of nutritious foods in a game of Pictionary, promoting creativity and healthy food recognition.
37. Balanced Plate Race: Race to fill plates with a balanced meal containing proteins, carbohydrates, vegetables, and healthy fats in the correct proportions.
38. Food Group Sorting: Sort various foods into their respective food groups in a game that teaches about the importance of a balanced diet.
39. Farmers Market Challenge: Visit a farmers market and challenge participants to find specific healthy foods or ingredients within a time limit.
40. Smoothie Recipe Roulette: Spin a wheel to determine random ingredients for a smoothie recipe, then blend them together for a fun taste-testing challenge.
41. Nutrition Jeopardy: Play a game of Jeopardy with categories focused on different aspects of nutrition and healthy eating.
42. Food Relay Race: Race to transport healthy ingredients from one end of the room to another, promoting physical activity and teamwork.
43. Healthy Food Tasting Party: Host a tasting party where participants sample and rate various healthy foods, expanding their palates and knowledge.
44. Cooking Showdown: Compete in a cooking showdown where participants must improvise healthy recipes using mystery ingredients.
45. Vitamin and Mineral Hunt: Search for foods rich in specific vitamins and minerals, learning about their importance in maintaining health.
46. Nutrition Wheel of Fortune: Spin a wheel to uncover different nutritional topics or food groups, answering questions or completing challenges related to each one.
47. Healthy Plate Puzzle: Assemble a puzzle depicting a balanced plate with portions of proteins, grains, vegetables, and fruits.
48. Food Pyramid Relay: Arrange food cards into a pyramid structure according to the food pyramid guidelines, racing against other teams for accuracy.
49. Cooking Ingredient Memory Game: Play a memory game where players flip cards to match ingredients with their corresponding healthy recipes.
50. Ingredient Swap Challenge: Challenge participants to swap out unhealthy ingredients in a recipe for healthier alternatives, demonstrating the importance of mindful cooking.
51. Herb Garden Markers: Create decorative plant markers for your herb garden using painted rocks or wooden sticks.
52. Fruit and Veggie Stamps: Make stamps out of fruits and vegetables like potatoes, apples, or celery to create colorful artwork.
53. Nutrition Facts Banner: Design a banner with fun facts about different nutritious foods to hang up as educational decor.
54. Healthy Recipe Book: Compile a collection of healthy recipes into a handmade recipe book, decorated with colorful illustrations.
55. Farmers Market Tote Bag: Customize a tote bag with stenciled designs of fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods for trips to the farmers market.
56. Smoothie Jar Labels: Design and print labels for smoothie jars, featuring vibrant images of ingredients and their health benefits.
57. Salad Spinner Art: Use a salad spinner to create unique spin art designs on paper, inspired by the vibrant colors of fruits and vegetables.
58. Nutrition Plate Collage: Cut out images from magazines or printouts to create a collage depicting a balanced nutrition plate.
59. Herb Infused Candles: Make candles infused with fragrant herbs like lavender or rosemary, adding a touch of aromatherapy to your space.
60. Healthy Eating Vision Board: Create a vision board with images and words that inspire healthy eating habits and wellness goals.
61. Fruit and Veggie Garland: String together paper or fabric cutouts of fruits and vegetables to make a festive garland for your kitchen or dining area.
62. Seed Packet Art: Decorate seed packets with colorful designs and plant them in your garden to grow your own nutritious produce.
63. Kitchen Herb Wreath: Craft a wreath using fresh or dried herbs, adding a fragrant and decorative touch to your kitchen.
64. Healthy Food Puppets: Make puppets shaped like fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods using felt or paper, perfect for imaginative play.
65. Nutrition Chart Magnets: Create magnets featuring a chart of nutrient-rich foods to stick on your fridge for quick reference.
66. Herbal Tea Blends: Blend dried herbs and flowers to create custom herbal tea blends packaged in decorative jars or sachets.
67. Upcycled Cookbook Stand: Repurpose an old picture frame or wooden plank into a stylish stand for holding cookbooks or tablets in the kitchen.
68. Salad Bowl Painting: Use salad spinner art techniques to paint a large bowl, transforming it into a colorful centerpiece for your table.
69. Healthy Food Mobile: Craft a mobile using lightweight materials like paper or foam to hang various healthy food shapes for a whimsical display.
70. Vegetable Stamped Apron: Stamp a plain apron with vegetable designs using fabric paint, creating a personalized and functional kitchen accessory.
71. DIY Herb Garden Kit: Assemble mini herb garden kits in decorated pots or containers, complete with seeds, soil, and care instructions.
72. Fruit and Veggie Coasters: Create coasters using slices of dried fruits and vegetables sealed with resin, adding a touch of natural beauty to your table.
73. Health Journal Cover: Decorate the cover of a journal or planner with motivational quotes and images related to health and wellness.
74. Nutrition-themed Dreamcatcher: Craft a dreamcatcher using natural materials and incorporate symbols of health and vitality like fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
75. Healthy Food Magnets: Make magnets shaped like fruits and vegetables using polymer clay, adding a playful touch to your fridge decor.
76. Quinoa Salad: A refreshing salad made with quinoa, mixed vegetables, and a zesty dressing.
77. Grilled Salmon: Succulent salmon fillets seasoned and grilled to perfection, served with a side of steamed vegetables.
78. Vegetable Stir-Fry: A colorful medley of fresh vegetables stir-fried in a flavorful sauce, served over brown rice.
79. Green Smoothie: A nutrient-packed smoothie made with spinach, kale, banana, and almond milk for a refreshing boost of vitamins and minerals.
80. Chia Seed Pudding: Creamy pudding made with chia seeds, coconut milk, and fresh berries, packed with fiber and antioxidants.
81. Roasted Beet Salad: Roasted beets tossed with arugula, goat cheese, and walnuts, drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette.
82. Turmeric Cauliflower Soup: Creamy soup infused with the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric and the goodness of cauliflower.
83. Mango Salsa: Fresh salsa made with diced mango, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lime juice, perfect for dipping or topping grilled fish or chicken.
84. Sweet Potato Hash: Sautéed sweet potatoes, onions, and bell peppers seasoned with herbs and spices, served with eggs for a hearty breakfast.
85. Spinach and Mushroom Frittata: Fluffy frittata packed with sautéed spinach, mushrooms, and onions, baked to golden perfection.
86. Kale Chips: Crispy kale leaves seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper, baked until crunchy for a healthy snack.
87. Berry Smoothie Bowl: A vibrant bowl of blended berries topped with granola, nuts, and seeds for a nutritious and satisfying breakfast or snack.
88. Avocado Toast: Sliced avocado on whole-grain toast, topped with cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, and a sprinkle of black pepper.
89. Cucumber Salad: Refreshing salad made with sliced cucumbers, red onion, dill, and a light vinaigrette dressing.
90. Black Bean Tacos: Flavorful tacos filled with seasoned black beans, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and salsa, served in warm tortillas.
91. Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken: Tender chicken breasts stuffed with steamed broccoli and melted cheese, baked until golden and juicy.
92. Greek Yogurt Parfait: Layers of Greek yogurt, fresh berries, and granola, drizzled with honey for a nutritious and delicious treat.
93. Roasted Vegetable Medley: Assorted vegetables roasted with olive oil, garlic, and herbs until caramelized and tender.
94. Eggplant Lasagna: Layers of roasted eggplant, marinara sauce, and ricotta cheese, baked to perfection for a lighter take on classic lasagna.
95. Cauliflower Rice: Grated cauliflower sautéed with garlic and onions, seasoned with herbs and spices, as a low-carb alternative to rice.
96. Tofu Stir-Fry: Cubes of tofu stir-fried with colorful vegetables and a savory sauce, served over rice or noodles.
97. Zucchini Noodles with Pesto: Spiralized zucchini noodles tossed with homemade pesto sauce and cherry tomatoes for a fresh and flavorful dish.
98. Salmon and Avocado Salad: Flaky salmon served over a bed of mixed greens, avocado slices, cucumber, and a tangy vinaigrette.
99. Bean and Vegetable Chili: Hearty chili made with a variety of beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, and spices, perfect for a cozy meal.
100. Fruit Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing: A refreshing mix of seasonal fruits tossed with a sweet and tangy dressing made with honey and lime juice.

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Do you have any ideas about how to celebrate Food is Medicine Day?  Please share them!