Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide

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History of Canada’s Food Guide

• First Food Guide was developed in 1942

• The Food Guide has changed many times over the years. The newest Food Guide was released February 5, 2007.

• Key Question: What are some reasons why the Food Guide changed so many times over the years?

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Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide

• Rainbow design emphasizes vegetables and fruit

• Background image depicts connection between food and their origin

• Graphics reflect diversity of foods available in Canada

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Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide

• Is based on current evidence• Recommends eating more vitamin and mineral-rich

foods more often• DRI’s (Dietary Reference Intakes)

• Communicates amounts and types of food needed to help:• Meet nutrient needs and promote health • Minimize the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart

disease, certain types of cancer and osteoporosis

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What can we use the Food Guide for?

• Planning healthy meals

• Shopping tips

• Reading food labels

• Smart snacking

• Counting servings

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Activity #1 – Comparing Canada’s Old Food Guide to the New Food Guide

Directions:• In groups of 3 or 4, discuss the differences and similarities

between the old Canada’s Food Guide and the new Canada’s Food Guide

• On a piece of loose leaf write down 3 similarities and 3 differences

• Choose a speaker for each group to share the group’s ideas with the entire class – but everyone must have the answers written down!

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A healthy eating pattern for Canadians

• The interior pages provide guidance on quantity of food to eat and quality of food choices

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Guidance on the quantity of food• Guidance is given for

males and females, 2 years and older:• Children, teens and adults

• A small amount of unsaturated fats is recommended• For intake of essential

fatty acids

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What is one Food Guide Serving?

• A “Food Guide Serving” is:• A reference amount• Not necessarily intended to represent what would

be eaten in one sitting

• Illustrations and different measures are used to help communicate what is one Food Guide Serving

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Counting Food Guide Servings

• An example is provided illustrating how to estimate the number of Food Guide Servings in a meal

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Activity #2 – Determining Serving Sizes

Directions:• In your same groups, get together and work

through the chart handout.• Be prepared to share and discuss answers.• Everyone must record the correct answers• Hint: Use your Food Guide to help you find the

correct answers.

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Guidance on the quality of food choices• Oils and fats • The types of oils and fats to include and the

types to limit

• Choices within each food group• Guidance on lower fat / sugar / salt choices (ex:

“Choose vegetables and fruit prepared with little or no added fat, sugar or salt.”)

• The Food Guide includes more guidance on quality of choices

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Guidance on the quality of food choices: Vegetables and Fruit

• Eat at least one dark green and one orange vegetable each day • For folate and vitamin A intake

• Have vegetables and fruit more often than juice • For fibre intake

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Guidance on the quality of food choices: Grain Products

• Make at least half your grain products whole grain each day• For fibre and magnesium intake• To reduce risk of cardiovascular disease

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Guidance on the quality of food choices: Milk and Alternatives

• Drink skim, 1%, or 2% milk each day• For calcium and vitamin D intake

• Have 500 mL (2 cups) of milk every day for adequate vitamin D

• Drink fortified soy beverages if you do not drink milk

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Guidance on the quality of food choices: Meat and Alternatives

• Have meat alternatives such as beans, lentils and tofu often• For a lower saturated fat intake• For fibre intake

• Eat at least two Food Guide Servings of fish each week• To reduce risk of cardiovascular disease

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Make each Food Guide Serving count….

• Advice on the quality of food choices is an essential part of the pattern• Bolded statements provide advice on quality of choices

• Non-bolded statements provide actionable tips

• Messages on variety and water

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Advice for Canadians of all ages

• Canada’s food guide provides advice for those who are:

- Over the age of 50

- Pregnant or breastfeeding

- Children over the age of 2

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Activity #3: Quality of food choices

Directions:• Work with a partner• On your work sheet, prepare a bagged

lunch for a child in grade 2. Follow some guidelines presented in Canada’s Food Guide.

• Be prepared to share answers.

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Eat well and be active every day• Highlights benefits of eating well and being active

• Encourages regular physical activity• 30 to 60 minutes per day for adults• At least 90 minutes per day for children and teens

• Includes messaging about adding up short periods throughout the day

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Eat well and be active every day

• Encourages eating the recommended amount and type of food

• Encourages limiting foods high in calories, fat, sugar, salt

• Eating well requires making different choices for many Canadians

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Eat well and be active every day• Encourages the use of the Nutrition Facts table• To choose foods with less fat, saturated and trans fat, sugar and sodium• To become aware of the calorie content of foods

• Encourages asking for nutrition information to make informed choices

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Eat well and be active every day

• Provides actionable tips towards…

• Eating well: ‘Take time to eat and savour every bite!’

• And being active: ‘Walk wherever you can – get off the bus early, use the stairs.’

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Food Guide website

• Expands on information from the Food Guide in four main sections:• Food Guide Basics• Choosing Foods• Using the Food Guide• Maintain Healthy Habits

• Includes background information on the Food Guide

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Food Guide website

• Includes interactive tools:• Guided tour• My Food Guide

• Links to Dietitians of Canada “EATracker”

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Resources for YOU to use on the Food Guide website

• “Tips for Consumers”• Ready-to-use tips for each recommendation

• “Put it into Practice”• Highlights examples of some of the

challenges to healthy eating.

• Sample one-day menus

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Conclusion

• Canada’s Food Guide plays a vital role in:• Helping Canadians to understand and

choose healthy lifestyles. • Integrating its recommendations into

policies and programs that support healthy eating

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For more information, visit Canada’s Food Guide online:

www.healthcanada.gc.ca/foodguide

Other Excellent Websites:www.Dieticians.ca

www.kidshealth.orgwww.canada-health-network.ca

www.nc-sc.gc.ca