This March, Dietitians of Canada is inviting Canadians to make small improvements to their daily diet in celebration of Nutrition Month. The theme for the 2016 campaign is Take a 100 Meal Journey, signifying the roughly 100 meals Canadians eat over a 31-day period.
WhereParentsTalk.com is proud to announce our participation in this worthwhile effort by tracking one family’s mission to eat healthier meals at home. We will update on their journey every week along with expert feedback on the concrete steps they are taking towards achieving their goal.
The campaign officially kicks off Tuesday with its Pledge Your Change launch.
“We are on a mission to help Canadians across the country take a small step toward better health this Nutrition Month,” said Emily Mardell, a Dietitians of Canada spokesperson in an online news release. ”Too many changes at once can be overwhelming, which is one reason people give up. Instead, we want Canadians to pick one change and practise it over 100 meals.”
Corey and Ross Etherington are tackling the Nutrition Month challenge head-on. With busy work schedules, a baby on the way and a toddler in daycare, Corey says it’s time to put healthy eating back on the front burner.
“I like to think we eat well now but the truth is our take-out bills and cereal dinners prove me wrong,” she said. “I want to make a change. Life is about to get even more hectic and I want us all to be as healthy as we can from the inside out before the next chapter begins and I know that nutrition plays a huge role in this. If I don’t start now, I fear I never will!”
Documenting the Etherington family’s journey throughout the month will be Amanda Lapidus, a Toronto-based dietitian and founder of SimplyNutrition.ca, a consulting firm specializing in individual and family nutrition. Amanda will record the family’s progress week-to-week and give her professional analysis on everything from nutritional content to portion size.
To ensure a comprehensive approach towards healthier eating, Dietitians of Canada has outlined five topics for participants to adhere to each week. The Etherington family will use these themes as a road-map throughout the month to guide them along the way.
- Week 1: Get Ready! “Choose your change. Think about your eating habits. Where can you make a positive, easy change?”
- Week 2: Quality Counts “When it comes to food choices, quality counts. Nourishing foods promote health and can help you feel your best. Take small steps to bump up the quality of your meals and snacks.”
- Week 3: Prioritize Portion Size! “When it comes to healthy eating, how much you eat can be just as important as what you eat. Eating portions that are too big can lead to overeating and weight gain.”
- Week 4: Try Something New! “Think healthy eating is bland? No way! Healthy eating tastes great! Keep it interesting: get creative with cooking strategies, experiment with new foods and flavours and refresh your recipes.”
- Week 5: Make it Stick! “Eating well doesn’t need to take a lot of time. A little planning helps you eat healthy, even on the run.”
In addition to sharing this journey on our website, we will be posting across our social media platforms using #NutritionMonth and #100mealjourney; we encourage you to follow along and engage with us throughout the campaign.
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