Nutrition Month 2021: Healthy Eating at CORE

This nutrition month, we are celebrating the idea that healthy eating can look quite unique for each individual. There are so many factors that can play into a person’s decisions around what healthy eating means to them. Cultural foods and traditional family meals are important to many people. Religious beliefs and observances can also shape what healthy eating looks like for groups of people. Where and how you work can impact what a healthy work meal looks like, as can the different ages and stages we move through in life. 

If you are managing a particular health condition, what is healthy for you may not be what is healthy for someone else, and vice versa. Additionally, income can play a large role in what kinds of healthy food options we incorporate into our diets. There are many socio-cultural dimensions to food and eating, all of them influencing our physical and mental health. 

In the spirit of nutrition month and Dietitian’s Day, our dietitians will share a little about what healthy eating means to each of them!

Cheryl

To me, healthy eating is being able to include my favourite foods even if they’re deemed unhealthy by others. I used to feel guilty eating chips or cookies after dinner because I grew up with people telling me that it would cause weight gain. It took a while for me to get out of that mindset and adopt a healthier relationship with food. 

I try to make healthy choices by balancing most of my meals with a grain or starch, some protein (animal or plant), and plenty of vegetables (fresh or frozen). In between meals, I like to snack on fruit, cheese and crackers, or something I crave in particular, such as chips or chocolate. Additionally, I make an effort to drink at least 4 cups of water throughout the day on top of other drinks like coffee and milk. To supplement, I take vitamin D because I don’t get a lot of sun exposure.

Meal planning and meal prepping is something that I enjoy doing but can be time consuming depending on the recipe. However, I find that it saves me a lot of time and effort during the work week to have meals ready to go. For days that I didn’t plan or prep for, I try to put something together that includes carbs, protein, and vegetables. That’s why I often keep a stock of pasta, rice, noodles, eggs, canned tuna, and frozen vegetables readily at home.

Growing up in a traditional Chinese household, I was exposed to a lot of cultural dishes from my parents’ cooking and the restaurants in our area. As a kid, I used to be embarrassed about my cultural foods when I brought it to school because it was different from everyone else’s. As a result, I had a phase where I would only bring foods that were considered the norm, such as Lunchables and sandwiches. It wasn’t until I was much older when I started embracing my culture and the history behind the foods we eat. I hope to bring more awareness of our cultural foods and traditions through social media and this blog.

Pauline

Healthy eating means balancing a variety of factors in my life. In order for my body and mind to be happy, I must get in a good breakfast and eat a meal or snack every 3 or so hours as per general nutrition guidelines. This schedule really helps me to keep my energy levels stable and prevents me from overeating at mealtime and feeling unwell.

I enjoy foods from many cultures and value time spent eating out with friends and family. I also enjoy eating my cultural (Polish) foods, and really look forward to family holiday meals where I get to eat lots of these traditional items. 

I strive to balance eating takeout meals with home-cooked meals that use fresh and simple ingredients and lots of fruits and vegetables (fresh or frozen). I find batch cooking and meal prepping helps me to eat more home-made foods and rely less on quick takeout options. I like to make large pots of freezable meals like stews and pasta sauces. This allows me to portion and freeze them, then reheat on busy days. It also helps me to save some money by not buying bagels here or breakfast sandwiches there, and later spend those savings on more enjoyable restaurant meals.

As someone living with Crohn’s Disease, I also consider how different foods make me feel and how they affect my Crohn’s symptoms. I avoid some foods and limit others that cause me GI upset, both when I cook at home and when I choose takeout foods to eat. For example, eating lots of wheat products and raw vegetables may be healthy and enjoyable for some individuals, but not so much for me and my digestive system- I tend to pass on giant kale salads and opt for steamed or cooked veggies instead.

Kristie

For me, healthy eating means fueling my body with energy from nutritious foods and drinks that help me meet my body’s needs. It also means that I have a good relationship with food. In the past, I would often partake in stressed snacking to help manage my anxiety. It wasn’t until I found a healthier outlet to manage my stress that I was able to improve my relationship with food. 

Each day, I start with making sure I have breakfast. Having breakfast ensures that I have the energy to start my day off on the right foot. How much I eat throughout the day depends on how hungry I am and what my body is telling me. I always try to listen to what my body tells me, so paying attention to hunger and satiety cues is important. This means that I eat less on some days and more on others, and these food items may come in the form of meals and/or snacks.

One of the things I do consistently every week is meal prep and meal planning. When planning meals, I aim to incorporate different foods that my family and I enjoy, including fresh and frozen vegetables as well as cultural dishes. While my meals are generally inspired by Chinese cuisine, I do enjoy learning about and making dishes from other cultures. As part of the meal planning process, I make sure to create a grocery list that I can bring to the grocery so that I know what nutritious foods to purchase while staying on budget.

For me, healthy eating revolves around my family, and family meals are the most important factor, besides time and budget, that I consider when planning meals. What works for my family will differ from yours, even if we share the same culture. As such, it necessary to find out what works for you and your lifestyle.

Take Away Message

We hope some insight to what healthy eating looks like for us has shown you that healthy eating means different things for everyone. There are many factors that impact our choices and what we eat so let the things that are important to you guide you on your journey of healthy eating! Finally, we wish you all a happy dietitian’s day and good eats!

Written and reviewed by: Cheryl Ching, MSc, RD, Pauline Bakowski, MHSc, RD, & Kristie Pun, MHSc, RD

Disclaimer: Our blog content is for general education purposes and may not be suitable for individual health conditions. Please see your health professional or book an appointment with one of our dietitians for personalized health recommendations.