It’s hardly news that healthy foods are important to
a healthy lifestyle—at any age. A consistent diet of healthy
foods is also one of the best defences against diseases such
as obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes and helps to
prevent tooth decay. Time, money, access, appetite, taste,
knowledge and interest can all affect our food choices.
If you want to improve your eating habits, Alberta
Health Services dietitians offer a variety of programs and
services, such as one-on-one nutrition counselling and
community classes on healthy eating topics. Programs
vary by community, so it’s best to check online using the
AHS health-care locator at albertahealthservices.ca.
Kelly Berg and Karol Sekulic, both AHS registered
dietitians, also offer the following nutritional advice and
You do have time to prepare healthy meals
“Healthy meals don’t have to take a long time to make,”
Berg says. She suggests planning meals and making a
shopping list for them. Also, keep your kitchen stocked
to help put meals together quickly, and choose healthy
prepared foods to save time such as prewashed salad and
frozen vegetables. You can also prepare meals in advance
and freeze them so you don’t have to cook every day.
eat with us
programs and services
can help you make
Cooking and eating healthy food as a family helps to boost nutrition, healthy habits and family bonds.
Choosing healthy foods
“There is no such thing as a best food,” Berg says.
“Choose foods from Canada’s Food Guide and read food
labels to help meet your nutrient needs.” That means
choosing foods with little or no added fat, sugar or salt.
She also recommends eating whole grain products,
drinking milk or a fortified soy beverage every day, and
having two or more servings of vegetables and fruit at
Sekulic also advises that families eat together. “Studies
show that eating as a family improves the type and the
variety of food we eat, and helps children develop healthy
food habits. When children see their parents eating well,
they will too.”
A great place to start you and your family’s path to
healthy eating is at healthyeatingstartshere.ca. “You’ll find
information and tools to help make the healthy choice the
easy choice,” Berg says.
— Colleen Seto
To find AHS nutrition programs where you live, call Health Link