Nutrition night yielded many calls

(Radish roses, fresh peppers, broccoli and carrot sticks are great dippers)

Eat your vegetables!

Isn't that something your mother told you as a kid?
Well, it still holds true today — more than ever.

That was one of the messages delivered by our expert panel of dietitians during the annual Dial-A-Dietitian night, which was March 19. Every year, the Poughkeepsie Journal and members of the Mid-Hudson Dietetic Association team up for this public service during March, which is National Nutrition Month.

This year's theme is "Eat Right," and many people wondered how they can still do that on a tighter budget, which many of us are dealing with these days. Good food doesn't have to cost a lot, and the dietitians recommended people shop the perimeters of the supermarket aisles, where you will find the produce and dairy shelves for starters.

This year we had a live blog and video stream, and along with the four phones and e-mails, received about 50 questions from the public. You can check it all out at the Journal's Web site.

I thought it would be fun to share a few photos from the night.

That's registered dietitian Lea Tompkins working the video stream as digital editor Irwin Goldberg mans the live blog. Lea was great at this, very enthusiastic, and she got a little help with the questions from her biggest fans — her family, who pitched some questions her way.

That's Evelyn Gezo, foreground, and Chandra Balusu noshing a bit before the phones started ringing. I put together a simple pasta salad, packed with veggies, chickpeas, kalamata olives and feta, and a nice array of veggies to dip. A big pitcher of water with lemon slices and ice cubes made with fresh strawberries was refreshing and looked pretty, too.

Whole grain crackers and bread, along with my favorite snack, Snapea Crisps, were great for dipping. Of course, you have to have fresh fruit and cheese to nibble, along with roasted nuts.

Evelyn, foreground, and Lisa Lawkins, another dietitian from the mid-Hudson group, work the phones.

All in all, it was an informative night, and my co-workers were happy to have some snacks to get through the rest of the night.

We should think about our health and diet every day, but it's nice to have a month designated for this on which to reflect.

Here are some tips from the American Dietetic Association on ways to eat healthfully on a tight budget:

1. Search online for easy one-pot recipes: Many recipe Web sites offer nutrition information and grocery lists for meals; find dinner options that can last for more than one night.
2. Use coupons: Clipping coupons or printing them from Web sites can save you 10 percent to 15 percent on your grocery bill. Also consider joining your supermarket’s shopper’s club for price specials.
3. Follow portions for protein: You can still keep your costs low when shopping in the meat section. Remember a three-ounce portion of cooked meat, fish or poultry is the size of a deck of cards.
4. Make a meatless meal: Beans are an excellent source of protein and an inexpensive way to create a healthful meal.
5. Think outside the crisper: Frozen or canned fruits and vegetables will last longer than fresh versions from the produce department and are equally nutritious.
6. Don’t throw money away: Keep leftovers safe by refrigerating them quickly. Use before they go bad and you can stretch one meal into several.