Tips for Healthy Eating for Parents and Caregivers

School’s out and the kids are bouncing off the walls ready for some summer fun.  But just because your family’s out of its regular routine doesn’t mean that healthy eating has to go out the window too!

Here are some tips for ensuring your family gets the nutrition they need for all those warm weather activities, whether you’re taking a trip over the summer holiday or relaxing at home.

Better Breakfasts

They don’t call it the most important meal of the day for nothing – ensuring your family members get ‘fueled up’ for the day ahead is vital.  They will need the calories for all the energy they will be expending doing summer activities. However, now isn’t the time to let your kids take short cuts and fill up on sugary cereals or toaster pastries.  Offer breakfast options that are tasty and good for them such as:

• a hearty bowl of oatmeal topped with sliced fruit and nuts;
• whole-grain toast with peanut butter;
• low-fat yogurt with sliced fruit or nuts;
• low-fat milk, fortified soy beverage or 100% juice;
• whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk or fortified soy beverage; or
• a piece of fresh fruit and a slice of lower-fat cheese.

Super Snacks

Whether the kids are coming in for a break from the outdoors or you’re on the road and their tummies are rumbling for a treat, it’s important to have healthy snacks on hand to discourage filling up on sweets like cookies and cake.

Try preparing kid-sized packages of the following nutritious snacks so all your family has to do is grab them from the fridge or cooler:

• carrot sticks or celery with peanut butter or hummus;
• fresh fruit like apple slices or orange segments;
• homemade trail mix – unsalted nuts and dried fruit like apricots or cranberries;
• drink containers of 100% juice or water;
• single-serving ‘plastic bowls to go’ of green salad with a small container of low-fat dressing on the side;
• slices of low-fat banana bread or zucchini loaf; and
• single-serving containers of low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese.

Discriminating Dining

Lots of families enjoy dining out, especially for a change of pace from eating at home.  
There are lots of ways you can make healthy food choices for you and your family when dining out, such as:

• Ask for dressing, sauces or gravy on the side so you can limit how much you eat.
• Instead of having french fries, opt for a side salad or extra vegetables.
• Skip the bread and butter that often comes before dinner and save room for vegetables with your meal.
• Instead of a full entrée, try having two smaller appetizers instead, like a bowl of soup and a side salad.
• Ask for your meat to be grilled instead of fried or breaded.
• Choose desserts that feature fresh fruit instead of cakes, pies or sundaes.
• Stay away from ‘all you can eat’ restaurants and buffets – you’ll probably eat more than you normally would.
• Check out the salad bar, but go easy on high fat toppings such as cheese, salad dressings, potato salad, and creamy pasta salad.
• Consider splitting your order to share with someone else in your family – restaurants often serve very large portions.

Selective Shopping

Shopping with your family in tow sometimes means little hands try to sneak all kinds of sugary snacks into your shopping cart!  While a couple of special treats are okay once in awhile  you can still make healthy selections that will ensure your family is eating nutritious foods. 

Here are a couple of shopping tips from Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide

• Choose dark green and orange vegetables often.  Go for broccoli, romaine lettuce, spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes and winter squash.
• Choose vegetables and fruit prepared with little or no added fat, sugar or salt.
• Choose vegetables and fruit more often than juice.
• Choose whole grain products such as whole grain breads, oatmeal, brown or wild rice, quinoa, and whole wheat pasta.
• Choose grain products that are lower in fat, sugar or salt by comparing the Nutrition Facts table on labels.
• Choose skim, 1%, or 2% milk. Select lower fat milk alternatives by comparing the Nutrition Facts table.
• Choose meat alternatives such as beans, lentils, and tofu often.
• Choose fish* such as char, herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines and trout.
• Select lean meat and alternatives prepared with little or no added fat or salt.

* Health Canada provides advice for limiting exposure to mercury from certain types of fish.  Refer to http://www.healthcanada.gc.ca/ for the latest information.

Label-Looking

Most food labels in Canada now feature information about nutrition, helping you to make more informed choices about what you and your family are eating.  The Nutrition Facts table has a consistent look from one product to another, making it easy to find and use. 

You can use the nutrition label to:

• compare products more easily;
• determine the nutritional value of foods;
• better manage special diets; and
• increase or decrease your intake of a particular nutrient.

To learn more, visit the new Interactive Nutrition Label at www.healthcanada.gc.ca/nutritionlabelling.

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For more tips and information on healthy eating, visit Health Canada’s Food Guide online at www.healthcanada.gc.ca/foodguide.