I can’t imagine not sharing my meals with family and friends. It hasn’t always been the case for me, but since making it a priority over the years, I wouldn’t want it any other way. It can definitely be challenging when you’re busy, but it’s well worth it. I If you want to start making meal time a family event,  be sure to set reasonable, small goals. Going from 0 family meals in a week to daily just won’t happen. Start small, make a plan, and enjoy!
 
The other key part of the potential of food to bring us together is to be sure to give your attention to food. Put the phone down! Turn that TV off. Make eye contact and enjoy the company you have at the table. Meals are a great time to connect with your kids.
 
There are so many benefits for kids when you eat together as a family.

• Eating more fruit and vegetables
• Doing better in school
• Lower risk for being overweight
• Less risk of eating disorders
• Teens are less likely to smoke, use drugs/alcohol and get into serious fights

 
Overcome the challenge- get creative!

• Family meals don’t have to be dinner, sometimes breakfast or lunch works better.
• Get help- it involves the kids and let’s you focus on other aspects of getting the meal on the table. Give the kids jobs that don’t take a lot of attention from you such as setting the table, ripping up lettuce, grating, stirring, etc.
• Have a (loose) meal plan. Having some ideas for the week that you know you have the ingredients on hand for can really make a difference.
• Cut up fruit and veggies and have them ready in the fridge so that you can grab and eat and help get a meal on the table quicker.
• Use it as a time to connect in addition to a time to refuel- around our dinner table we answer three questions-
  • When were you kind today?
  • When were you brave today?
  • When did you fail today?
  • Lately there has been a fourth question from the kids- What was your favourite part of your day? Believe it or not, the answer is usually that meal together!

 
References:
https://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/Articles/Menu-Planning/Your-guide-to-setting-healthy-living-goals
Ipsos Reid 2017 study conducted for Dietitians of Canada
 https://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/Articles/Adolescents-teenagers/Family-Meals-with-no-TV.aspx 34 

​​Adapted from the Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month campaign materials. Find more information about Nutrition Month at www.NutritionMonth2018.

​A large part of what I do is helping kids learn how to be involved in shopping, regardless of their age. I explain what balanced meals are and also how to cook and be involved in the cooking. These life skills seem more and more important in light of all the unhealthy food and beverage ads our children are exposed to everyday. Most people rely on processed/packaged foods, fast food and take out foods and as a culture we are moving away from home- cooked meals. I love empowering kids by touring them around grocery stores and doing hands-on teaching.
 
I know what it’s like to be busy and still have to prep a meal after school and in between activities. On top of that getting your kids involved can be really tough. You may start out with the best of intentions to be patient and find that really you just need to get food on the table- now. According to a 2017 study by Ipsos Reid, 16% of Canadians say they never let their kids help in the kitchen (1).
 
As Canadians cook less and less and instead look to packaged and convenience foods, it not only impacts health, but also robs our future generations of a chance to learn the important life skills of cooking and food prep.
 
Kids who are online are exposed to over 25 million food and beverage ads- most of which (90%) promote foods that are high in sugar, salt and fat (2). The good news is that involving our kids and thus improving their food skills can result in healthier eating – eating more fruit, vegetables, and fibre, and a decrease in convenience and take out food and sweetened beverages (3). Another bonus of getting kids involved is that it can help with picky eaters too! (4)
 
Involve your kids in every step of the process- gardening, shopping, meal prep, meal planning, etc. It can help to let your kids be involved when there isn’t such a time crunch and can end up being a really enjoyable, bonding activity- with yummy results! Read more about involving your kids here, here, here and here.
 
Remember as a parent, we are role models when it comes to our kids eating (5). Help your kids gain the potential to discover!
 
Want more ideas of how to involved your kids. Contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com
 
 
References:
 
1- Ipsos Reid 2017 study conducted for Dietitians of Canada
2- Heart and Stroke Foundation. http://www.heartandstroke.ca/-/media/pdf-files/canada/2017-heart-month/heartandstrokereportonhealth2017.ashx
3-  http://www.pennutrition.com/KnowledgePathway.aspx?kpid=22933&trid=23008&trcatid=42
4- Eat Right Ontario https://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/Articles/Child-Toddler-Nutrition/Help!-My-kids-won-t-eat-enough-vegetables-andfruits.aspx
5- https://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/Articles/Adolescents-teenagers/Parent-and-Caregivers-Influence-on-Children%E2%80%99sEating-Habits.aspx

​Adapted from the Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month campaign materials. Find more information about Nutrition Month at www.NutritionMonth2018.

Being a parent, I know what it’s like to be busy! Being busy means that eating in balance can be challenging. When you are busy, you need to stay fueled. Many people find they end up skipping meals and going long hours between eating, which can then lead to grazing on snacks during the day.
 
Don’t get me wrong- eating snacks can be a very healthy and important aspect of eating. But when 20% of Canadians are saying that several times a day, between meal snacks prevents them from eating meals more regularly (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner), this shows us that snacks don’t necessarily always work for us. (1)
 
I often suggest snacks to kids and adults alike. I don’t know about you, but having a snack in between my meals can help me make it through without that awful crash from low blood sugar. If I don’t give my kids a snack after school there is no way we would get through until dinner.
 
One of the key aspects to snacking is to make sure you are choosing a balanced snack. The whole idea is that it is going to help you get through until the next time you eat (your next meal). When you choose a snack, be sure to include 2 of the 4 food groups. Including a fruit and vegetable with another food group is the perfect way to increase the amount of fruit and vegetables that you eat. The idea of a snack is that it doesn’t have to be a large amount of food.
 
With some of my pregnant or breastfeeding clients I find that snacking is the prefect way to fill in the gap and meet their nutrition needs during these high nutritionally demanding times.
 
Keeping mindful eating in mind, its very important that you listen to your bodies’ hunger and fullness cues when you are eating. Be sure you are eating because you need some fuel, not because you are bored, stressed, angry, tired, etc. Make sure that, even when you are eating a snack, you give the proper attention to your food. You want to make sure that you are not distracted while you are eating by TV, your phone, etc.
 
Another struggle that can happen around snacks is getting the word snack confused with treat. What is the difference? A snack is something that is eaten between meals and used to help you meet your nutritional needs. It often looks like a mini-meal. A treat is something that you eat once in a while and that are not making a big impact on your diet nutritionally (but they do taste delicious!)
 
Some snack ideas:

• Homous or other bean/lentil dips and veggies
• Fruit and nut/seed butter
• Energy  bites: recipe and recipe
• Apple donuts: recipe
• Yogurt and fruit or vegetables. 
• Crackers and cheese
• Crackers and smoked tofu

 
By planning snacks throughout the day (you won’t need more than 3), it can be a great way to use the potential of food to stay energized throughout the day.
 
Looking for more snack ideas for you and your family? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com
 
References:
1 Charlebois, Sylvain et al. PowerPoint Presentation – May 2017. Disintegration of Food Habits

Adapted from the Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month campaign materials. Find more information about Nutrition Month at www.NutritionMonth2018.

I have been enjoying chai tea lately. I had also been wanting to work on a granola that was sweetened with dates. When I came across a Chai spice granola recipe I got excited and decided that I wanted to have a granola that included  nuts for added protein without only having whole nuts in it. This is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy.

This recipe is slightly adapted from Emilie Eats- Chai spice Granola


















Ingredients

2 cups        Oats (large flakes, gluten free if necessary)
11/2 cups  Nuts (I use walnut and pecan)
1/2 cup      Sliced almonds
2 Tbsp       Hemp seeds
1/4 cup      Coconut (shredded, unsweetened)
1/2 Tbsp    Cinnamon
1 tsp           Cardamom 
1 tsp           Ginger
1 tsp           Allspice
1/2 tsp       Cloves
1/2 tsp        Nutmeg
1/4 tsp        Salt
​1/2 cup      Dates
1/2 cup       Water
3 Tbsp        Almond butter

1. Preheat oven to 325F
2. Process nuts in a food processor until finely chopped but not powder. 
3. Mix oats, spices, salt, sliced almonds, coconut and hemp seeds. Add processed nuts.
4. Blend dates in a food processor (soak in warm water if your dates are dry and use that as your water later). Add in 
     almond butter and water (unless previously added) and blend until smooth. 
5. Mix into oat mixture and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Looking for more breakfast ideas? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com