Canada's Food Guide

Have you taken a good look at Canada's Food Guide lately?  Check it out at
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php.

 

If you feel a bit overwhelmed trying to follow it, you're not alone.  I will admit that I don't go straight to the guide when meal-planning.  The thought of having to match my children's food intake with the numbers on the guide seem impossible on a good day!  But I do look at it occasionally for a refresher course on what my children need in their diet.

You can download a PDF version or order a free paper copy.  Health Canada has made obtaining this handy guide easy for anyone who wants it.  Also take a look at the numerous links on the site providing information from choosing the best food for your child to tips on how to have a healthy and active lifestyle.

Make sure to read both pages of the Food Guide.  The first page provides you with the 'Recommended Number of Food Guide Servings Per Day', examples of single servings for the four food groups, as well as tips on how to make healthier choices within the food groups.  The second page provides you with information on how to have a healthy lifestyle and instructions on how to read food labels.

I would suggest ordering a free paper copy on the website and hanging it inside your main food cupboard in your kitchen.  Having it easily available will make it easier to follow on a daily basis.  You can also share it with your children, show them how to read it, and discuss the importance of it.  Encourage your 5-year old to meet his 5 servings of fruit & veggies in a day, make it a fun competition!  It's our responsibility as parents to provide our children with the tools needed to live a healthy life.

Happy and healthy eating!

From Nana's Kitchen - The Easiest Oatmeal EVER...And It's Not Instant!

 

 

Canada's Food Guide Servings: 1 Grain Products (3/4 cup cooked oatmeal)

 

Oatmeal is one of those perfect foods that everyone should be eating.  As noted in my post "The 'Super' Breakfast - Oatmeal", heart-healthy oats are cholesterol free and have a low Glycemic Index.  They are an ideal food for anyone suffering from diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure.  And if that wasn't enough, 1 cup of uncooked rolled oats contains the following:

• 5 g fat (1 g saturated fat)
• 8g dietary fibre
• 10g protein
• Iron - 19% Daily Value for an adult

I grew up eating oatmeal, and it's now one of Big-A's favourite breakfasts (we're still working on Lil-J - he's not a fan of some textures).  As a child, my mother made us classic rolled oats topped with brown sugar.  Pre-children, I relied on the convenience of instant oats to get me through a busy school day or work day.  After having children, I was introduced to steel-cut oats (aka Irish oats) and that's all I eat now.  Big-A learned to love steel-cut oats thanks to my mom, and I try to make them as much as possible.

A few months ago, after struggling to make steel-cut oats for weekday morning breakfasts (who really has 30 mins to stir oats??), my mother gave me a handy tip on making overnight steel-cut oats.  This is the only way that I make them now, and it's so easy that there are no excuses not to be eating them every day of the week.

Nana's Easiest Oatmeal EVER

Ingredients:
1 cup steel-cut oats (I love Bob's Red Mill Organic Steel Cut Oats and President's Choice Blue Menu Steel Cut Oats)
3 cups water
pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Add water, oats and salt to a medium pot.  Bring to a boil over high heat then immediately turn off the heat and cover with the pot lid.  Leave overnight.  Reheat the following morning and serve.

And that's it!  It's seriously that easy.  No stirring, no risk of a messy, starchy boil over.  No waiting.  In the morning, you will find the most perfect steel-cut oats waiting for you.  They will be cooked through, but will still have a crunchy texture.  And you can have them this easy, every morning of the week.

If you have any concerns with leaving the oatmeal out at room temperature overnight, place the pot in the refrigerator (after boiling).  The oats will be a bit watery, and they will be crunchier.  Give them a quick re-heat on the stove or in the microwave and they'll be ready to eat.

Our current favourite way to eat these oats is with a small sprinkle of brown sugar, a generous sprinkle of cinnamon, and cold milk.  I pack mine in a container with the toppings and milk, and heat it at work.  Big-A loves eating a bowl of oats before school, and I love knowing that this healthy breakfast gives him the fuel needed for a busy day ahead.

Give it a try, you'll love them!

Yoplait Yogurt Tubes ~ A Fun & Healthy Snack Perfect For Any Lunchbag! #LMDConnector

 

Yoplait yogurt can always be found in my refrigerator.  I like the classic Yoplait Creamy, the boys ate Minigo daily when they were younger, and our refrigerator is always full of Yop (for Big-A's school snack).  Yogurt has always been our snack of choice, but we also eat it for breakfast (topped with granola) and dessert (topped with fresh berries).  I even add it to my favourite baked goods when I can.
 
Yoplait is an ideal yogurt for kids, as it does not contain gelatin, artificial flavours or artificial sweeteners.  I find way too many yogurts containing one or all of these items, and they never make it in my grocery cart!  Yoplait yogurt is also a great source of Vitamin D, Calcium, and Protein (Yop contains 5g of Protein per serving, 1/5 of Big-A's daily requirement).  The fact that Yoplait yogurt tastes delicious and is fun to eat are just added extras that any parent would love.
 
Another awesome fact about Yoplait yogurt is that it's been made in Canada since 1971!  Canadian-made foods are preferred in our home.
 
When Big-A started school in JK, I started sending him with yogurt in a reusable plastic container.  This proved to be a messy way to eat a healthy snack, and I started buying Minigo instead.  As soon as he started Grade 1, it became 'uncool' for kids to eat yogurt from a container (the horror!!) and drinking it was the only acceptable method.  I really expected these things to happen when it came to clothes and accessories, but food?  How times have changed...
 
When I first placed a Yop in his lunchbag, he was beyond thrilled!  Now we go to the grocery store and he gets to pick out his own flavours.  I think it's important to allow children to have a say on the food choices a family makes, as this will encourage healthy eating habits in adulthood.
 
This year, Big-A started asking for yogurt Tubes.  It was a product that I was unfamiliar with, but I decided to check them out.  Although they don't contain the same nutritional punch as Yop (less Calcium, Protein and Vitamins), they are very low in calories and sugar.  I never count on a single food product to give my children the nutrition that they need in a day, so with a balanced diet Yoplait Tubes can be added as a school snack.  I purchased two boxes in various flavours, and surprised him with them.  As you can see from the photos below, he was VERY excited to see them!

Big-A's initial reaction to the Yoplait Yogurt Tubes that I surprised him with!

This is one excited kid!!

I grew up eating yogurt, and my children have done the same.  It is an ideal Calcium and Protein source, and they are perfect for a healthy school or on-the-go snack.  Check out the Yoplait Canada website for a list of all of their products, and you will find one that suits the needs of each member of your family!  Make sure to also check out their Recipes using your favourite Yoplait yogurts.  I'm definitely going to have to give the Low-Fat Cheesecake Delight a try!

 

 

I am participating in the Life Made Delicious Ambassador Program by Mom Central Canada on behalf of General Mills.  I received compensation as a thank you for participating and for sharing my honest opinion.  As with every post that I write, the opinions on this blog are my own.