​As nutrition month comes to a close it’s important to think about making our small changes stick. There are lots of reasons that we fall off track with our goals. We are all busy, holidays come and go, we have too much stress, the list goes on and on. As important as it is to make changes stick, it is incredibly hard. Here are some tips that will help.

• Plan for how you will handle roadblocks before they happen. This makes complete sense, but it is a key aspect of staying on track with your goals. If you skip this step, it can be very easy to hit a roadblock and give up, and once things have gone off track it’s too late- right? Wrong! This is a normal part of making a change. Start making a plan to manage setbacks when they come up.
  • Think ahead about some things that may get in your way with your goals.
  • Brainstorm ideas of what to do when this happens.
  • Get support. Family, friends, co-workers, whatever works to help support you with your goal.
  • Don’t view these slips in your goals as a be-all, end-all. Use these roadblocks as a learning opportunity. When they happen (and they will!) review your plan, adjust as needed and get back on track.

• Get some nourishing grab and go foods, as we are all short on time.  Eating well doesn’t have to take up a lot of time. It’s all about planning!
  • Stock your pantry with foods like veggies, fruit, yogurt, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, seeds and whole grain crackers.
  • Cook food in big batches when you have more “time”- soups, stews, and chili.
  • Make more food then you need when you are taking the time to cook so that you have leftovers – to eat as is or to repurpose into other meals.
  • Use convenience foods to help you cook and prepare healthier food at home, such as frozen vegetables and fruit, orcanned beans and lentils.

• Pay attention to when you eat for reasons other reasons than hunger. I work with a lot of my clients on learning how to eat mindfully, or with my youngest clients (babies) how to keep eating mindfully! Often we eat when we aren’t hungry. We might be bored or distracted. It might be how we deal with strong emotions or stress.
  • Learn to eat mindfully.
  • Remove distractions- no phones, TV or media while eating!

• Check nutrition info from restaurants to help you make better decisions. Eating out can be hard because of large portions, very few vegetables and foods that are high in fat, sugar and/or salt.
  • Choose smaller dishes or split with someone else. Unable to do either of those? That’s okay, put aside half to take as leftovers.
  • Load up on veggies- ask to add extra to your meals.
  • Ask for dressings and sauces on the side.
  • Getting dessert? Choose a small serving or split with the people you are eating with.

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• Looking to get back on track with your eating? Contact a dietitian like me here.

 
Wanting to learn more about mindful eating or get more support staying on track with your goals? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com

References:
Adapted from The Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month Campaign Materials. Find more information about Nutrition Month at: www.nutritionmonth2016.ca

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Trying to start eating healthier is challenging. Many people worry that choosing healthy food means that it just won’t taste good. This does not have to be the case. The key is to keep it interesting. Try experimenting with new foods, play around with different flavours. Need some more ideas of how to make this happen?
 

• Change up your recipes- try new recipes. I often recommend one new recipe every two weeks to begin. Trying too many new recipes can be overwhelming and you can get stuck back in your same old routine. If two weeks feels like too much, start with once a month. I always encourage people to work up to trying one new recipe a week. For a kid friendly, easy recipe try this – sesame noodles

 

• Try something new- often people are interested in trying a new food, but feel overwhelmed by where to start. This can be a great area to get the kids involved in. Choose a new fruit or vegetable to try. Have a dinner party and ask everyone to bring a different dish.

 
 

• Make your own meals and skip the takeout.
  • Save money! Who doesn’t need that?
  • Serve meals family style- taco’s, fajita’s, salads, burrito/Buddha bowls- let everyone, including the kids dish it up themselves. Give everyone a different role in the meal prep and it can become a great time for connection and takes the load off the one person preparing the meal.
  • Use a slow cooker- read more here
  • Try some quick and easy recipes like this one

 

• Use flavour!
  • Try cinnamon on apples, pears or sweet potatoes.
  • Add curry to soups and stir-fries.
  • Try nutmeg on carrots, squash or parsnips.
  • Add garlic and ginger to soups and stir-fries.
  • Add red pepper flakes to give dishes some heat.
  • Add a squeeze of lemon or lime to salads and noodle dishes.

 
Are you looking for more support with meal planning for your family? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com
 
References:
Adapted from The Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month Campaign Materials. Find more information about Nutrition Month at: www.nutritionmonth2016.ca

Although WHAT you eat is very important it’s also good to look at HOW MUCH you eat. It can be very confusing knowing exactly what a realistic portion is. So, how do you learn about portions?
 

• Use your hand- conveniently it’s always with you! This is something I always teach on a grocery store tour.
•  What influences how much you eat? Plates, packages and portion sizes.
  • Use smaller bowls/plates to eat off. This will help when you fill your plate as you won’t be overeating.
  • Serve meals “family style” – everyone serves himself or herself but do it away from the table, usually in the kitchen instead.
  • Still hungry? That’s okay- eat more vegetables.
  • Serve water with meals- if it’s there people will drink more.
• Out of sight- did you know studies show the foods we choose are those that are available and easy to reach? Here are a few ideas to help you choose more nourishing snacks.
  • Clear foods off your counters and only keep fruit there.
  • Keep nourishing foods at eye level so that healthy foods are what you see first.
  • ​Put treats like cookies into containers you can’t see through- put them at the back of the fridge/cupboard.
• Buy bulk and resize- did you know, the bigger the package is the more you are likely to eat?
  • Try resizing big packages into smaller servings. Always put snacks in a bowl/container versus eating out of the bag.
  • Often when the promotion is “Buy 2 for $5”, you don’t actually have to buy 2 to get that price - $2.50 per item. Be sure to read the fine print.
• Eat foods that last- eat fibre and protein to feel full and stay full.

 
 
Interested in learning more about this and how it can work for you and your family? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com
 
References:
Adapted from The Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month Campaign Materials. Find more information about Nutrition Month at: www.nutritionmonth2016.ca

When you are choosing foods that to eat think about their quality. What do I mean by this? Choosing foods that will nourish your body will help you and your family feel your best. Remember though, the key is to start small.
 
1.   Eat a good breakfast. What does that mean? Include some protein and fibre with your breakfast. Need some ideas?

• Wrap- put lentils/organic tofu/eggs with avocado, and veggies.
• Waffle- serve with peanut butter (or any nut/seed butters) and fruit. This is a favourite at our house because I make waffles and freeze them for the week. Pop one in the toaster and you have a quick breakfast for those crazy mornings.
• Smoothie- include fruits and or vegetables, oats/flax for fibre, and some milk/milk alternatives and or yogurt/yogurt alternatives.

 
2.   Pack a lunch instead of eating out. Who doesn’t want to save some money! What’s an easy way to make this    
       happen?

• Cook extra food at your meals and then take the leftovers.
• Portion meals and freeze them so that you can grab and go.

 
3.   Avoid sugary and creamy drinks. I know you have heard this before but it is often a easy, small change for people to
      make.  

• Drink water. Is water too plain? Add cucumbers, melon, berries, mint, etc. to add flavour.
• Add less, or even no sugar to your coffee and tea.

 
4.   Watch your snacks and track your treats.

• Make sure snacks are nourishing foods and treats are eaten as their names- treats!

• If you are hungry between your meals, that’s okay. Choose a nourishing snack to help get you through. Need some ideas?
• Hummus and veggies, a date filled with nut/seed butters, apple donut see recipe coming soon.

 
5.   Flavour your food. Again, this is something you have likely heard before and it is another easy, small change for people to make.

• Use herbs and spices.
• Use broth (make your own or choose low sodium).
• Add vegetables to baking (but be sure your kids know it is in there! Read more about that here).
• Puree vegetables for a creamy taste and texture- we do this in soups and pasta all the time.
• Use garlic, onion, and ginger- mmm.

 
Do you still need more ideas?

• With this year being international year of the pulses, you can read more here.  You will find lots of recipes that include them. Watch Nurture The Future’s blog, as every month this year we will be featuring a new recipe that includes pulses. Try adding lentils and cooked beans to your dishes such as mashed potatoes.
• Add fruits and vegetables to your baked goods. This is also a good way to switch out, or reduce the fat. Looking for a recipe that has vegetables? Try this zucchini bread recipe coming soon.

 
Do you want to get some help adding more quality to your families meals? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com
 
References:
Adapted from The Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month Campaign Materials. Find more information about Nutrition Month at: www.nutritionmonth2016.ca

It’s nutrition month, 2016. This year we are encouraging people to take the “100 meal journey”. Over the month of March you will eat about 100 meals, so choose a small change and make it stick.
 
Have you taken the pledge? I’ve had a hard time deciding what my pledge was going to be. Try a new fruit or vegetable at least one time a week, or eat more fruits and vegetables with breakfast, or have phone free meals?
 
The latter is something I have already been striving to do- with some good success. I feel very strongly about this one on two levels. One- being distracted while eating affects my ability to eat mindfully. Two- what kind of example am I setting with my kids? I want a no phone at the table rule at my house as I feel meals are a time for connection. They are so much more than just the food and eating.
 
As for the trying something new a key part to this pledge is setting attainable goals. Also, in discussing this one with my 5 year old, I realized this is something I want to do for my family, but on a monthly basis. So my pledge is to eat more fruit and/or vegetables with my breakfast.
 
So, after reading my pledge, are you ready for yours? Here are some ways to get ready to make your pledge.
 
1.   Choose your change

• Make it small.
• Stick with it.
• Take it one meal at a time.
• Make sure it’s easy.

 2.   SMART

• Set a SMART goal. Not sure what that is, look for my upcoming post about SMART goals.

 
3.   Get support

• From a Registered Dietitian like me!
• There are lots of apps for things like this.
• From family or friends.

4.   Prepare

• Give yourself some prep time to help you actually achieve the goal.

 
5.   Change you eating environment

• Try things like putting fruit on the counter.
• Have nourishing snacks throughout the day.
• Remove “snack” foods from view.
• Use a reusable water bottle.

 
Still need some more ideas of how to make this work for you?

• Try setting 1-3 goals and no more!
• Make goals visible, ie: put them up at your desk , in the kitchen, etc.
• Try batch cooking to make the week easier, ie: things like beans and grains are great foods to batch cook.
• Share your goals with supportive people.
• Make a meal plan. Need more reasons to make a meal plan? Read my blog post here.
• Keep nourishing snacks handy. Try this recipe.
• Keep healthy food by the front door to grab and go.
• Keep snack foods away from where you work if you tend to eat mindlessly.

 
If you are looking for more support with making a change contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com
 
References:
Adapted from The Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month Campaign Materials. Find more information about Nutrition Month at: www.nutritionmonth2016.ca