Nutrition
- from U. of Alberta website
NOTE: Vegans will want to refer to the New Four Food Groups.
Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating classifies food into four groups:
grain products, vegetables and fruit, milk products, and meat & alternatives.
Each food group contains key nutrients that perform special functions within our body.
Grain Products: This group is an important source of carbohydrates, fiber, iron, minerals and vitamins, which energize our bodies and minds and keep our blood and digestive tract healthy. Build your meals around your favorite grain, pasta or rice. Choose whole grain products more often for the fiber and iron they provide.
Vegetables and Fruit: This group is rich in essential vitamins such as A, C and folic acid. They help our bodies use energy, fight infections, are important in growth and contribute to healthy looking skin, eyes and hair. Choose dark green, bright yellow and orange vegetables and fruit more often for the special nutrients they provide. For example, apple juice contains trace amounts of folate whereas a glass of orange juice will meet approximately 50% of your folate requirements.
Milk Products: This group is an important source of calcium, which makes strong bones and teeth and helps our muscles function. Include 2 to 4 servings in your diet everyday.
Meat & Alternatives: This group is essential to build and repair muscle and tissue and maintain healthy blood. Include 2 to 3 servings every day, even if you follow a vegetarian style of eating.
Other: (Minimize use of these!) Some foods don’t fit into the four food groups. They are classified as “other foods” and include foods that are mostly fats and oils (margarine, butter, oil), foods that are mostly sugar (jam, honey, sugar), high fat &/or high salt snack foods (potato chips, pretzels, pastry), beverages (pop, coffee, tea, alcohol) and herbs, spices and condiments. They add to our taste and enjoyment of food. Some of these foods are “everyday foods” and others are “sometimes foods” and are enjoyed in moderation.
NOTE: Vegans will want to refer to the New Four Food Groups.
Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating classifies food into four groups:
grain products, vegetables and fruit, milk products, and meat & alternatives.
Each food group contains key nutrients that perform special functions within our body.
Grain Products: This group is an important source of carbohydrates, fiber, iron, minerals and vitamins, which energize our bodies and minds and keep our blood and digestive tract healthy. Build your meals around your favorite grain, pasta or rice. Choose whole grain products more often for the fiber and iron they provide.
Vegetables and Fruit: This group is rich in essential vitamins such as A, C and folic acid. They help our bodies use energy, fight infections, are important in growth and contribute to healthy looking skin, eyes and hair. Choose dark green, bright yellow and orange vegetables and fruit more often for the special nutrients they provide. For example, apple juice contains trace amounts of folate whereas a glass of orange juice will meet approximately 50% of your folate requirements.
Milk Products: This group is an important source of calcium, which makes strong bones and teeth and helps our muscles function. Include 2 to 4 servings in your diet everyday.
Meat & Alternatives: This group is essential to build and repair muscle and tissue and maintain healthy blood. Include 2 to 3 servings every day, even if you follow a vegetarian style of eating.
Other: (Minimize use of these!) Some foods don’t fit into the four food groups. They are classified as “other foods” and include foods that are mostly fats and oils (margarine, butter, oil), foods that are mostly sugar (jam, honey, sugar), high fat &/or high salt snack foods (potato chips, pretzels, pastry), beverages (pop, coffee, tea, alcohol) and herbs, spices and condiments. They add to our taste and enjoyment of food. Some of these foods are “everyday foods” and others are “sometimes foods” and are enjoyed in moderation.
Nutritious Foods Don’t Have To Be Expensive
You don’t have to compromise adequate nutrition when finances are tight. Use Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating as a tool in planning to ensure a balanced, nutritious diet.
Here are some tips to make your food dollar stretch! See also BUDGET MENU PLAN.
Grain Products
Best Buys: whole grain rice, macaroni, bread, rolled oats, and hot cereals
• Choose pasta and rice made from whole grain or enriched flour to ensure you are
getting their full nutritional value.
• Plain pasta shapes like macaroni and spaghetti are cheaper than fancy shapes.
• Buy from bakeries at the end of the day for discounts.
• Buy whole grain cereals instead of sugary ones. They are more economical and nutritious.
• Avoid buying rice and pasta mixes. They are ten times the cost of rice and pasta and usually high in fat and salt.
• Long grain rice is half the cost of minute rice and only takes 15 more minutes to make.
Vegetables & Fruit
Best Buys: apples, bananas, grapefruit, oranges, rhubarb, frozen juices (especially orange), potatoes, cabbage, carrots, plain frozen veggies, and canned tomatoes.
• Buy fresh berries in season and freeze to enjoy at a later date.
• Buy fresh produce in amounts that you can use before they go bad. Buy 5 carrots or 3 apples if that is all you need. If you buy a bag, split the contents between friends.
• Buy plain, bagged frozen vegetables instead of vegetables that are boxed and packaged with added sauces. They are half the cost and are usually lower in fat and salt.
• Eat coleslaw more often. Cabbage is cheaper than lettuce and more nutritious.
• Pre-cut your own veggies. Keep them sealed in a container or zipper bag to prevent them from drying out.
• Not all juices are created equally. When choosing a juice ensure that it is a juice, not a drink. Drinks contain a lot of sugar and little nutrition. The best buy is frozen orange juice
concentrate.
Milk Products
Best Buys: Skim milk powder, milk, evaporated milk, processed slices, cheddar cheese,
mozzarella, and plain yogurt
• Skim milk powder is inexpensive (approximately half the cost of fluid milk), is easy to store and is a good source of calcium and protein. Use skim milk powder for cooking and baking
in sauces, puddings, casseroles, soups, hot cooked cereal, mashed potatoes, and pasta dishes. Mix 1/3 cup (75ml) of milk powder plus 1 cup (250ml) water to reconstitute and use in place of fluid milk.
• Choose “no-name” brand cheeses.
• Substitute evaporated milk for cream.
• Buy plain yogurt and flavor it yourself.
Meat & Alternatives
Best Buys: peanut butter, dried / canned beans or lentils, eggs, hamburger, blade or rump roast, canned tuna, and utility grade chicken
• Meats can be the most expensive item on the food budget. Buy cheaper cuts of meat and marinate them or cook at a low temperature.
• Use dried or canned beans and lentils more often. They are an economical substitute for meat, are lower in fat, and are a good source of fiber.
• Purchase utility grade poultry. It may be missing a wing or a leg but otherwise
it is okay.
• Plain frozen fish is less expensive than fresh or battered fish.
• Buy regular hamburger instead of lean, fry then rinse with warm water in a strainer or colander to remove excess fat.
• The following foods can be kept on hand for quick and easy meal solutions.
Remember, buy only the foods that you use or have space to store!
Here are some tips to make your food dollar stretch! See also BUDGET MENU PLAN.
Grain Products
Best Buys: whole grain rice, macaroni, bread, rolled oats, and hot cereals
• Choose pasta and rice made from whole grain or enriched flour to ensure you are
getting their full nutritional value.
• Plain pasta shapes like macaroni and spaghetti are cheaper than fancy shapes.
• Buy from bakeries at the end of the day for discounts.
• Buy whole grain cereals instead of sugary ones. They are more economical and nutritious.
• Avoid buying rice and pasta mixes. They are ten times the cost of rice and pasta and usually high in fat and salt.
• Long grain rice is half the cost of minute rice and only takes 15 more minutes to make.
Vegetables & Fruit
Best Buys: apples, bananas, grapefruit, oranges, rhubarb, frozen juices (especially orange), potatoes, cabbage, carrots, plain frozen veggies, and canned tomatoes.
• Buy fresh berries in season and freeze to enjoy at a later date.
• Buy fresh produce in amounts that you can use before they go bad. Buy 5 carrots or 3 apples if that is all you need. If you buy a bag, split the contents between friends.
• Buy plain, bagged frozen vegetables instead of vegetables that are boxed and packaged with added sauces. They are half the cost and are usually lower in fat and salt.
• Eat coleslaw more often. Cabbage is cheaper than lettuce and more nutritious.
• Pre-cut your own veggies. Keep them sealed in a container or zipper bag to prevent them from drying out.
• Not all juices are created equally. When choosing a juice ensure that it is a juice, not a drink. Drinks contain a lot of sugar and little nutrition. The best buy is frozen orange juice
concentrate.
Milk Products
Best Buys: Skim milk powder, milk, evaporated milk, processed slices, cheddar cheese,
mozzarella, and plain yogurt
• Skim milk powder is inexpensive (approximately half the cost of fluid milk), is easy to store and is a good source of calcium and protein. Use skim milk powder for cooking and baking
in sauces, puddings, casseroles, soups, hot cooked cereal, mashed potatoes, and pasta dishes. Mix 1/3 cup (75ml) of milk powder plus 1 cup (250ml) water to reconstitute and use in place of fluid milk.
• Choose “no-name” brand cheeses.
• Substitute evaporated milk for cream.
• Buy plain yogurt and flavor it yourself.
Meat & Alternatives
Best Buys: peanut butter, dried / canned beans or lentils, eggs, hamburger, blade or rump roast, canned tuna, and utility grade chicken
• Meats can be the most expensive item on the food budget. Buy cheaper cuts of meat and marinate them or cook at a low temperature.
• Use dried or canned beans and lentils more often. They are an economical substitute for meat, are lower in fat, and are a good source of fiber.
• Purchase utility grade poultry. It may be missing a wing or a leg but otherwise
it is okay.
• Plain frozen fish is less expensive than fresh or battered fish.
• Buy regular hamburger instead of lean, fry then rinse with warm water in a strainer or colander to remove excess fat.
• The following foods can be kept on hand for quick and easy meal solutions.
Remember, buy only the foods that you use or have space to store!
Nutritious Pantry Basics:
• canned salmon, tuna, chicken
• canned or dried peas, beans, lentils
• canned fruit, dried fruit and raisins
• peanut butter
• canned tomatoes, corn
• pasta, rice and other grains
• skim milk powder
• salt, pepper and other seasonings
• bread, buns, bagels or pitas
• apple, oranges or banana
• potatoes, carrots, onions and cabbage
• sugar, syrup, jam, oil, vinegar
Nutritious Refrigerator Basics:
• eggs
• milk, cheese, yogurt
• margarine
Nutritious Freezer Basics:
• frozen fruit juice concentrates (especially orange juice)
• frozen vegetables, berries and rhubarb
See also BUDGET MENU PLAN.
• canned salmon, tuna, chicken
• canned or dried peas, beans, lentils
• canned fruit, dried fruit and raisins
• peanut butter
• canned tomatoes, corn
• pasta, rice and other grains
• skim milk powder
• salt, pepper and other seasonings
• bread, buns, bagels or pitas
• apple, oranges or banana
• potatoes, carrots, onions and cabbage
• sugar, syrup, jam, oil, vinegar
Nutritious Refrigerator Basics:
• eggs
• milk, cheese, yogurt
• margarine
Nutritious Freezer Basics:
• frozen fruit juice concentrates (especially orange juice)
• frozen vegetables, berries and rhubarb
See also BUDGET MENU PLAN.