January is the month of good intention and the City of Lake Oswego is on board to help us all with that by proclaiming January as “Healthy Eating Month.” The initiative is part of Lake Oswego’s involvement as a FABULOUS city (the highest level of participation) in the Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Cities Campaign, a joint project of the Oregon Public Health Institute and the League of Oregon Cities.

The goal of the campaign is to give local citizens options for making the healthy choice the easy choice. Here are some ideas for following the city’s lead and making healthier choices in January, and hopefully all year long!

• Register for the Get Nourished class. Learn the fundamentals of a healthy, whole foods diet and gain a better understanding of how food can help or hurt your body. A Certified Holistic Nutritionist will guide you through an elimination diet and help make personalized dietary adjustments tailored to your needs and sensitivities. Six week class begins on January 12 (Class 14995) and again on February 23 (Class 15000) from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. $69/Resident; $75/Non-resident. Register online.
• Eat at a LO HEAL City Restaurant. Several restaurants around town have committed to adopting practices which help consumers make healthier food choices. These include: disclosing nutritional information such as calorie amount and grams of fat for each menu item, offering smaller portions of high calorie and high fat dishes, and establishing pricing structures that encourage consumption of lower-calorie, lower-fat, and less processed foods. Restaurants that have signed on to do one, some, or all of these practices include: Chuck’s Place, Babica Hen Café, Tucci Restaurant, Pasha, Gubanc’s, Baja Fresh, Beeztro at the Play Boutique.
• Check out healthy options for your kids at Luscher Farm such as the Spring Break Farm Camp where kids will learn about organic gardening, how to start seeds and plant veggies. Class runs from March 27 through March 31 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Luscher Farm. $155/Resident;$178/Non-resident. Register for class 14686 online.
• Adopt a plot at Luscher Farm. Learn how to grow vegetables organically and then donate the fruits of your harvest to the Adult Community Center Meals on Wheels program (while keeping some samples for yourself). You must attend an orientation as well as 3 out of 8 work parties. $25/Resident;$38/Non-resident. Register online for class 14704.
• Sign up for Community Supported Agriculture. Rest assured you will eat well this summer by paying a fee now to meet 47^th Avenue Farms’ expenses so you can enjoy their bounty from mid May until the end of October. Each week’s share includes 8-10 vegetables and herbs. $999/Resident; $1149/Non-resident for a full share (14722); $555/Resident; $638/Non-resident for a half share (14723). Register online.
• Learn how to eat mindfully. Becoming more mindful helps us become more conscious of many of the acts we do automatically, like eating. By focusing on the experience of eating, we become more aware of taste, smell and sensation as well as more appreciative of the hands that brought the food to our plate. Mindful eating will be just one aspect of mindfulness covered in the classes offered through the Parks and Recreation Department. Three different six-week sessions begin January 12 and run through March 30 and are offered from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (14987) at the Adult Community Center, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (14988) at Palisades and 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (14986) at Palisades. $65/Resident; $80/Non-resident. Register online.
• Grow your green thumb. Get ready for spring planting with several classes offered through the Lake Oswego Parks and Recreation Department including Garden Planning 101, Raised Beds and Garden Structures, and Ready, Set, Plant! Register online.
• Try Paleo on for size. Imagine whipping up five complete meals for four people in one evening! Nic & Figs is offering a Paleo Batch Cooking class on Thursday, January 19 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. that will leave you with just that. The grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free menu includes: Thai Basil Chicken, Asian Inspired Ribs, Coconut Pumpkin Shrimp Soup, Cuban Ropa Vieja, and Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers. $145/person. 425 Second Street. 503.479.8596. Register.

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