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Take a 100 meal journey: make small changes, one meal at a time

Eating well can boost your health and help you feel your best

Eating well can boost your health and help you feel your best. When it comes to making healthier choices Interior Health’s Registered Dietitians recommend starting with small changes – one meal at a time.

March is Nutrition Month and over the next month Interior Health Registered Dietitians will be joining forces with the Dietitians of Canada to encourage Canadians to take the “100 Meal Journey” by making small changes to their eating, one meal at a time.

“The average person eats around 100 meals in a month so that is 100 opportunities to make positive changes to your eating habits over the next month and beyond,” said Nadine Baerg, Public Health Dietitian. “By focusing on one meal at a time you can make small lasting changes that you can stick with.”

Throughout March, Registered Dietitians will provide tips and strategies focusing on five weekly themes:

Week 1 - Get Ready: Take the pledge and join the 100 Meal Journey for March. Make a small meaningful nutrition goal to work on over the next month. Share your goal with others by taking a photo holding the 100 Meal Journey certificate (http://www.dietitians.ca/Downloads/Public/NM2016-Pledge-Certificate-ENG.aspx) and sharing it on social media using the hashtag #NutritionMonth.

Week 2 - Quality Counts: Make food decisions that support your goals such as cooking more meals at home, choosing fruits and vegetables and substituting ingredients.

Week 3 - Prioritize Portion Size: When it comes to healthy eating, how much you eat can be just as important as what you eat. Try using smaller plates and bowls at home and if you are still hungry, eat second portions of vegetables. When eating out, consider splitting an entrée.

Week 4 -Try Something New: Taste is the number one reason for food choice. Try a new recipe or experiment with spices, flavoured vinegar or oils to create nourishing meals and delicious snacks.

Week 5 - Make it Stick: Learn doable strategies to make your changes stick. Learning how to manage healthy eating roadblocks such as travelling or a busy work schedule will help you succeed in your healthy eating journey. Be prepared with nourishing grab ‘n’ go foods, like yogurt, nuts and fruit.

For more information:

• Visit the Dietitians of Canada website: http://www.dietitians.ca/Your-Health/Nutrition-Month/Nutrition-Month.aspx.

• Check out the Cookspiration app (http://www.cookspiration.com) for recipes to suit your mood and schedule.

• Download eaTracker  (http://eatracker.ca) to track your food and activity habits on the go or the eaTipster app (http://www.eatipster.com/) for daily healthy eating tips.

• Call 8-1-1 to speak to a Registered Dietitian at HealthLink BC.