Free Nutrition Training

There is so much information in the media these days about nutrition that it can be confusing. Perhaps it has been a while since you learned about the four food groups or maybe you would like to feel more comfortable with the food choices you are making. Free, valid, nutritional training is available.

MyPyramid

A good place to start is with the new MyPyramid website from the USDA. There are all sorts of resources, from an explanation of the new food pyramid and the new food groups to feeding your child to interactive tools to the Ten Tips Nutrition Education Series. You can plan menus, learn about nutrition and pregnancy and print or order many of the resources available. The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans for 2010 have also just been released. These are the federal government's nutrition guides to promote health, reduce risk of disease and reduce the obesity epidemic.

USDA

Nutrition.gov is another place to learn about good nutrition. Nutrition.gov expands on the MyPyramid site, providing information such as what is in carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals. Your nutritional needs change over your lifespan and you can find information on what foods are more necessary at different life stages here, too. You can calculate your body mass index and find out how to teach your children about healthy body images and find resources for weight management. Nutrition and health issues are covered as well as dietary supplements.

Food Labels

Food labels can be confusing. There are words you cannot pronounce and the whole thing seems like it is in some language you do not understand. The USDA has put out an easy-to-understand website about the Nutrition Facts Label. Each section is broken down into small understandable parts. It also explains what serving size means and the difference between serving size and portions. There is even information for raw foods like fruits, vegetables and fish that don't usually come with a label. A Guide to Federal Food Labeling Requirements for Meat and Poultry Products explains why and how the labels for meat and poultry aren't the same as for other foods and how to make sense of these labels.

Free Classes

There are a number of free classes available to learn more about nutrition; you won't have access to the instructor, but you will have access to the lectures and the reading lists. Johns Hopkins School of Public Health offers Principles of Human Nutrition and Critical Analysis of Popular Diets. Tufts University offers a more advanced course called Nutrition and Medicine. Many states offer free nutrition classes to child care providers. Food assistance programs such as Women, Infants and Children, or WIC, also provide some nutritional training.