Nutrition Month: Healthy Eating

For many of us, March means Navroz, the beginning of a new year and the first day of spring. In Canada, March is also known as Nutrition Month, a month focused on teaching people about healthy eating and how to make it the easiest choice possible. And really, what better way to start a new year than to focus on healthy eating?

Eating healthy is an important way we can protect our health and prevent chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. But healthy eating doesn’t have to be complicated.  There are five simple tips you can follow to make healthier choices. Please visit the Five to Thrive pillar on Healthy Eating.

One thing to remember is that even though roti, daal, kabob, falafel or baba ganoush are not on Canada’s Food Guide, it does not mean they are unhealthy. Our cultural foods can be healthy, especially if we use the Five to Thrive tips to guide our choices. For example, instead of having white rice with daal, try brown rice with daal and add a side salad with carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes. If you are finding it hard to reduce the amount of rice you are eating to only ¼ of your plate, try eating your vegetables first before the rest of your meal. Having the vegetables first helps to fill you up so it’s easier to take a smaller portion of other foods. No matter what type of food you are eating, it is really important how you eat them. Eating mindfully means not eating in front of the TV and taking the time to chew your food properly. It may not seem important but it can have a big effect on how much we eat and how full we are at the end of a meal. To find some healthy recipes for inspiration go to:

• Ismaili.Canada Healthy Eating Page 
• The.Ismaili Nutrition Centre
• Unlock Food

Lastly, but most importantly, as a dietitian I am hearing that healthy eating is more expensive than it has ever been. So how can we eat healthy while shopping on a budget? It is not easy, but here are some tips that might help. 

• Plan your meals and grocery list: This helps you make the most of your money and avoid wasting food or making impulse buys. 
• Look for sales: Flyers are the traditional way to track prices, but now there are some apps that help you track what foods are on sale and where, give you coupons and help you price match. Some examples include Flipp, Checkout 51, and Save.ca.
• Choose meatless meals: Choosing to eat more plant proteins like beans and lentils instead of chicken or beef, is cheaper but also healthier for you.
• Frozen or canned vegetables or fruits are a healthy choice: While you can’t always replace fresh vegetables and fruits, where possible frozen and canned produce are great choices because they don’t spoil as fast and are often just as nutritious. With canned vegetables, pick unsalted or if salted, rinse the vegetables before use. With canned fruit, pick fruit packed in water and try to avoid those packed in juice or syrup.
• Buy in bulk: If you are able to, buying in large quantities and splitting between a group of people can help you save money. 
• Growing a garden at home: You may be able to save some money by growing herbs and some vegetables at home in your garden, on your balcony or by a sunny window. Sometimes there are local classes at community centres that can help teach you how to do this.