With all this attention on sugar in the media recently I thought this might be interesting to include.

I really recommend reading ingredient listings. If you are already keep it up. I know it can be both confusing and time consuming.

Sugar can be hidden under many names.

Here is a list of a few that you can look for:

• Corn syrup
• High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Golden syrup
• Cane sugar
• Invert sugar
• Dextrose
• Evaporated cane juice
• Malt syrup
• Molasses
• Maltodextrin
• Brown Rice Syrup
• Fruit Juice concentrates
• Anything ending in  -ose for example lactose, glucose, sucrose, fructose

Don't be fooled. Sugar is sugar in your body and it doesn't matter what it's called on a label. 

Would you like to know more about sugar in the foods that you eat? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com.

Learning how to divide up our dish can help us eat healthier and teach our kids about balance and the importance of eating different types of food. Most of the time, especially if you eat out, your plate is filled by grain and protein foods and very little vegetables. Balancing your plate is not only good for you, but it is also a great way to be a role models for your kids. How do the suggestions below compare to how you usually divide your dish?

Reading labels is a very good habit to get into to. The problem is that reading labels is often confusing. The good news is the more you practice the easier it gets. There are some proposed changes to labels, however, for now this is what you will see when you look at a label. Here are a few tips that might help.

The first thing to do when you look at a label is to look at the serving size. This is very important for 2 reasons:
          1) If you are comparing 2 products you want to compare a serving size that is the same so that you are     
               comparing the same amounts.                                                                                                                                 2) Often we eat a lot more than what the serving size is. That’s ok, however, you want to know how much the 
              package is stating the serving size is so that you can adjust it for the amount that you eat.

Some nutrients that I would always look at on labels, whatever the product is, are sodium and fibre. It is important to look at the amount of sodium when you look at the label. Look for the Milligrams (mg) of sodium. Try to choose products lower in sodium. Fibre is another nutrient that it is important to look for on the label. Look for the grams (g) of fibre. Try to choose products higher in fibre.

Only use the percent’s to quickly compare products if the serving size is the same. Don’t assume that you are getting the percent that it says. You can also use the Percent Daily Value to find a product that is low or high in something. 5% or less is a little and 15% or more is a lot.

Labels can be very useful to help us understand what is in a product but reading the ingredient list is also key because this tells us more information about what is actually in the food or drink.

To see what the proposed changes are to the label in Canada or to have your say click here

For more information or to gain more hands on practice contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com

Having a brand new baby can make it feel like you will never be able to have a shower again, go to the bathroom alone, or wear clothes that don’t have some kind of stain on them- be it stuck on food from breakfast or spit up or drool. Of course there are also the amazing moments of being a parent, but the focus of this post is food. Where do you find the time to not only eat but to cook and serve healthy food for your family?

Sometimes it can be hard to get a chance to eat and drink throughout the day when you have a new baby. Do they know when you sit down or what? Still it is very important to make sure that you are remembering to eat. Set up a breastfeeding station. Wherever you usually breastfeed set up some snacks and drinks close by so that you can have something to eat when you are feeding the baby. Carry snacks with you in your purse, stroller and car. Always take a water bottle with you.

What about meal times? I love slow cookers (see why here) and they can be a useful kitchen appliance, not only for families with a new baby but families in general. Have you tried doing recipe swaps with friends and family? This is a good way to increase your repertoire. Meal planning is a great way to make sure that you have the ingredients you need in the house for whatever you are making that day. It can also help you avoid everyone in the house being hungry and still not knowing what to make for dinner. Read my post on Meal Plans here.

Freezing food can be a great way to have meals available quickly. Have staples in your house that your family like for snacks, breakfast and lunch. If your pantry is stocked it makes it easier to make a quick and healthy meal. Take a tour of a grocery store to help you navigate the healthy foods and make your shopping more efficient.

Lastly, get inspired. Take a cooking class, read a recipe book or look online at different recipes. Try new ingredients. Try different meals- the only way to not get bored of the same meals is to try new ones and the ones that you like add them into the mix.

Need some inspiration or more tips for you family? Talk to Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian at  nf.nutrition@gmail.com

1. You can make large quantities and use as leftovers for lunch or freeze.
2. You add the ingredients and the slow cooker does the cooking for you.
3. Less prep time.
4. Less time spent cooking.
5. Less time cleaning up.
6. You don’t need to be home while dinner is cooking- set it to cook while you are out for the day.
7. Makes the whole house smell delicious.
8. You can often prep some of it the night before and start it the next morning before you leave for the day.
9. There are slow cooker recipes for everything: meat, vegetarian, breakfast, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, low fat, kid friendly…you get the point.
10. You can use cheaper ingredients- for example cheaper (more tough) cuts of meat because cooking the meat in liquid makes it more tender. Another example of using cheaper ingredients is using dried beans or lentils which are cheaper than canned. Often they require soaking ahead of time however because of the length of the cooking time you can add them dried –thus reducing the cost.

Looking for recipes or help with meal planning? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian.

How do I get a resolution to stick? It definitely does not come down to a specific date. Just because it is January first doesn’t mean that you are in the mind frame to make a lasting change. I like to use stages of change with my clients to assess where they are at and how ready they are to change.

If they are not ready I work with them to get them to a place that they are. If they are ready I encourage them to tell people about their intentions. When they are in the process of already having made changes we provide techniques to help maintain the change that they have created.

So this January first, if you want to change, I would recommend taking the time to think about where you are in the stages of change. Make this your starting point for change – not necessarily jumping right into it but giving yourself permission to start the change in a gentler, more sustainable way.

I always recommend looking at the year as a whole for the change to take place – or leave out a time frame all together.

I always place emphasis on change starting with thinking about it. Yes that counts! If you are ready to take the next step, if you are thinking about it figure out how to move to where it can realistically become an option. For example weigh the pros and cons and take steps to make the pros out weigh the cons.

I believe this helps people make lasting change. Most of us have made a resolution on January first that’s turned out to become a February flop.

Take the time to nurture your future to create lasting change. Wherever you are in your steps to change there are some things you can put into place:

·      Try writing down what you eat. You might be surprised that it helps you lose more weight and not only that, but        it helps keep that weight off.

·      Try planning meals and shopping with a list – be sure to stick to your list. If it’s not in your house you won’t be            eating it there. If you need help with meal planning a Registered Dietitian can help. 

·      Try taking at least 20 minutes to eat. Chew your food thoroughly.

·      Try to eat together with your family or friends. Be sure to minimize and remove distractions such as phones, TV, 
       and electronic devices.

·      Try drinking water and avoiding other sugar- laden beverages. To create more flavour in your water try adding 
       cucumbers, berries, lemons, limes, oranges, apples, mint, etc.

In terms of weight loss I always place emphasis on looking at the why of eating. Ask yourself why am I eating?

Is it because I am emotional  (this can include all ranges of emotion – happy, sad, mad, etc.)? Is it because you are bored or stressed? Or is it because you are truly hungry?

Sometimes it can be as simple as changing routines. For example:

·      Do you snack at night watching TV? Try taking up knitting to keep your hands busy.

·      Do you eat in the car? Try listening to an audio book on how to learn a new language.

·      Do you eat anytime you wander through the kitchen or the lunch room at work? Try changing the route through 
       your house – if possible – to get from room to room or going for a walk at lunch and eating outside. 

Have questions about how to get your eating on track? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com

Every family no matter how big or small requires some type of planning and preparation to get meals on the table. I am a big advocate of meal planning to help get healthy family meals on the table. Eating healthy is important, but the less time I spend figuring out what to eat and actually getting it on the table, the more time we get to spend as a family. Meal planning for a week in advance is the only way I can be sure I have the ingredients I need for each meal, and that it doesn’t come down to trying to decide what to eat when everyone is hungry and unmotivated. Anytime I am able to simplify my life I choose that avenue.

Not only can meal planning save you time, it can also save you money. Planning meals in advance means that you can buy foods in bulk and be sure to use leftovers. Meal planning can also stop you from wasting food since you can be sure to use the same ingredients two meals in a row.

Meal planning can seem boring and rigid, however I would rather spend my extra time and money being spontaneous in other areas with my family.

Need help with planning your meals? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian.

You know how fashion trends seem to always come around again? Well it’s starting to seem that the same can be said about food. One term that you may be hearing a lot about lately is “Whole Foods”. No, I don’t mean the organic grocery store, but actual whole foods. Whole foods were what our diets consisted of years ago before the time of packaged foods and all of the emphasis placed on convenience.

A common question that I hear as a result of all this is, “so, what are whole foods exactly?” Whole foods are unprocessed and unrefined foods. For example they do not have added ingredients such as salt, sugar and fat like most of our packaged and convenient foods.

Whole foods are sometimes confused with organic foods. If a food is organic it does not necessarily mean it is a whole food, and if it is a whole food it is not necessarily organic.  Examples of whole foods are vegetables, fruit, beans and non-processed grain.

Sounds nice right? Sounds easy? Not so! Putting that into practice for most people isn’t an easy thing to do. Change doesn’t happen overnight. However, by adding more whole foods into what you are eating everyday you can make a change.

For more information on nutrition contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com

More and more research is showing that what we eat while we are pregnant is affecting our baby- be it the nutrition they are receiving, their preferences later on in life, being open to trying different tastes and flavours, or even maintaining health and preventing different chronic diseases. But what about if you are trying to conceive? Is nutrition important then? Absolutely! Often we don’t even know that we are pregnant in the beginning of a pregnancy and this can be a key time for many nutrients, including folic acid. If our bodies are prepared ahead of time we are at a much better starting point for not only getting pregnant, but also maintaining a healthy pregnancy, and having more energy for labour and delivery. Your starting point can also affect healing and recovery postpartum, breastfeeding and even having energy to raise your family.

Nutrition is such a key component for all of these areas of our lives and it is never too late to think about and make changes in the way you eat, whichever stage you are currently in. The key is to start with small realistic changes and to start the changes today!

Need help making changes in your life, whichever stage you are in? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian.

There’s a lot of information out there about when a baby is ready to start solid foods. So much, in fact, that trying to navigate through it can seem rather overwhelming. I thought writing about one baby’s journey might be helpful.

The baby recently turned 6 months so starting solids was on my mind. I looked at the signs he was showing to see whether he was ready. The first trial, sitting in the high chair, didn’t go great. After about 30 seconds he started sliding to the side and was not very happy. Not a problem. We ended up waiting almost a week more and tried again. This time he was able to sit up without any problems. He had all the other signs of being ready to start solids and so our journey begins…



Starting solids with your baby and wanting more information? Contact Jill, Nurture the Future's Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com

Take a look at the sign your baby is ready to start solid food: