Greener diet: KTA, county teaming up on National Food Day

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KTA Super Stores in Waimea, Puainako and Keauhou along with Hawaii County organizations are partnering to celebrate National Food Day on Monday.

KTA Super Stores in Waimea, Puainako and Keauhou along with Hawaii County organizations are partnering to celebrate National Food Day on Monday.

Goals include helping people cut back on sugary drinks, overly salty packaged foods and fatty factory-farmed meats. Instead, people are encouraged to eat vegetables, fruits, whole grains and sustainably raised protein.

“Greening your diet doesn’t just mean eating more greens,” the state Department of Health said in a news release. “It means being aware of how food arrives to your plate and all of the steps it takes to complete the food cycle.”

On Monday, educational handouts will be offered about the benefits of fruits and vegetables, calories, vitamins, how to wash produce and healthier Halloween options.

University of Hawaii master gardeners will emphasize the Blue Zones Project’s goal to help people live longer with a presence at each KTA store, demonstrating how to make a small raised-bed garden. They’ll also provide some free starter vegetable plants.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program outreach workers will be at the Puainako and Waimea stores to help people interested in applying for SNAP benefits.

Healthy-eating market tours, lasting about 45 to 50 minutes, will take place at 10 and 11 a.m. and noon at each of the stores. Deli lunch specials will be available early in the day.

For more information about National Food Day, visit www.foodday.org.