The vast majority of Americans work for companies with fewer than 100 employees.

Can a small business support workplace wellness? Absolutely! In fact, in some ways it is easier to create a healthy workplace in a small company than in a large corporation.

Limited resources, especially in small companies, can prevent an employer from setting up a workplace wellness program. Reasons can include:

* lack of budget resources;
* lack of staff;
* lack of senior-level support;
* little knowledge of the wellness concept and;
* concern about making wellness available to all employees.

According to the Wellness Councils of America, some small business owners may have the wrong idea of what is involved in having a workplace wellness program. Some employers aren’t sure a program would really work and others feel that trying to change personal lifestyle behaviours is intruding and “none of their business”. Perhaps they don’t understand that it doesn’t need to be costly and that they don’t need special staff. They may not realize that some staff would like to see some healthy changes and would help make things happen in their workplace.

It Can Be Done

Many small businesses have found ways to have a workplace wellness program that works for them. They keep the cost and effort to a minimum and still have results that are positive for everyone. In 2006, Graham Lowe wrote a report on the best places to work in Calgary. He said that healthy workplaces often have a “positive workplace culture”. In a workplace with a positive culture, people feel appreciated, valued, and trusted.

Dr. Lowe says it is easier for a small workplace to have a positive workplace culture than for a large workplace. Many employees prefer to work for a small business, he says, because it provides more opportunities to work closely with others and develop a sense of community.

In his report, Dr. Lowe says the most successful companies with fewer than 100 employees have:

* excellent employee benefits;
* policies that promote a balance between work and personal life;
* flexible schedules;
* competitive salaries;
* excellent leadership with an emphasis on teamwork;
* environmentally responsible company policies;
* procedures for seeking employee input; and
* a focus on placing employees’ personal well-being ahead of the personal gain of company leaders.

All or most of these elements are also components of a good workplace wellness program.

Tips and Ideas

There are many ways to include health and wellness in a small business. You don’t necessarily need a wellness professional or a fancy gym. What you do need is support from management and a committee of a few committed people. Here are some ideas that your workplace can consider.

Communications and Promotion

* Send out a regular “wellness” newsletter in hard copy or online. Or send out a simple message such as the weekly Healthy U Hot Tip.
* Use promotions that are already designed such as Healthy Workplace Week.

Active Living and Healthy Eating

* Encourage staff to sign up for the Stairway to Health stair climbing competition.
* Get pedometers for employees and track their steps.
* Rent a nearby school or community gym and offer exercise classes.
* Hire a local fitness instructor to give classes or lead stretch breaks. Costs can be shared with employees.
* Install secure bike parking.
* Serve healthy alternatives at company meetings and lunches.

Policy and Organizational Initiatives

* Hire an ergonomics specialist to assess workstations.
* Develop policies to support work-life balance (for example, mandatory vacations, flextime, limits to work and e-mail on personal time).
* Provide a wellness subsidy for a variety of health and leadership activities and courses.
* Offer financial incentives to be healthy.
* Offer wellness incentives as rewards and recognition for a job well done.
* Conduct an organizational health audit (NQI Healthy Workplace Week).
* Become a partner with the community (for example, daycare, gyms, festivals, parks, restaurants).
* Spread the workload. Set up a wellness committee.

Small businesses may not have a lot of time, money, or human resources available for a workplace wellness program. But they often have a huge advantage over large companies—a positive workplace culture. That is a great foundation for a workplace wellness program. When employees are satisfied, enjoy their work environment, they are more productive, and tend to be healthier. With a little creativity and passion, small businesses can develop successful workplace wellness programs. Get support from management, form a committee of two or more and discover the possibilities!

Source: HealthyAlberta.com

People spend almost 2,000 hours on the job each year. For many, work is literally a “home away from home.”

Given the time we spend behind the desk, the steering wheel or out in the field, the food and activity choices we make on the job can have a huge impact on our health and wellness. Healthy living can come to work. Planning is the key.

This article will help you shop for and prepare healthy meals at work and give you some ideas on ways to be more active during your workday.

Stock Up on Healthy Foods

* Create a small “stash” of non-perishable food you can keep in your desk, briefcase, vehicle or locker. This is food that you can snack on or use to round out a meal on the go.
* Examples of foods to stock up on include dried fruits (raisins, dried cranberries, dried apples or apricots), individual containers of canned fruit or applesauce, whole-grain crackers, mini-boxes of whole-grain cereal or trail mix.
* Replenish your entire “stash” at least once a month to ensure you always have a fresh supply of healthy foods on hand.
* Pack a water bottle. A lack of water can make it harder to concentrate and can affect your work performance. Keep a water bottle with you through the day. Avoid specialty coffees and teas and soft drinks. Instead, enjoy water with your workplace snacks and meals.

Make Your Brown Bag Meals Healthy Meals

* Packing your lunch or other meals can be better than buying them. When you pack your lunch, you can control the choices and the amount you eat.
* For example, for lunch you could bring a whole-wheat pita (grain product group) stuffed with shaved turkey (meat and alternative group) plus a baggie of raw vegetables (vegetable and fruit group) plus a container of low-fat yogourt (milk product group).
* Vary your choices each day to prevent boredom.
* Play it safe. Use insulated containers and ice packs to keep foods at safe temperatures.
* Put food that’s meant to be hot in containers that lock the heat in. Use ice packs to keep cold food icy cool.
* If possible, avoid eating at your desk. Desktops have been shown to harbour high levels of bacteria, which can pose a health risk. Enjoy lunch in the staff lunchroom or, weather permitting, head outside and do a picnic.

Make a Move

* Taking activity breaks through your workday can help to increase productivity and promote overall health and wellness.
* Enjoy stretch breaks. Step away from your desk, and take a minute or two to get the kinks out.
* Replace your coffee break with a walking break. Invite your co-workers to join you.
* Sign up for a cause. Form a team in your office and participate in a charity fun run or walk.
* Recruit a leader. Bring a fitness leader into your office to lead an aerobics, yoga or resistance training class. Share the costs among the participants.

Work is a big part of life for most adults. Take the healthy eating habits you practise at home on the job with you. Stock up on healthy snack foods, bring brown bag meals that pack a nutritional punch and make active living a priority in your workplace.

Source: HealthyAlberta.com

When kids receive the same messages about healthy eating at school and at home, they learn that nutrition is important. Plan now to promote healthy eating by

* making sure your kids take healthy snacks and lunches to school;
* helping your school set an example by selling healthy food;
* using fundraising activities, school celebrations, and non-food class rewards as chances to model healthy eating behaviours.

Healthy Lunches Made Here!

Making sure your kids have a good breakfast and sending them to school with healthy food for the day can help their learning, concentration, and energy levels. A healthy diet can also fight childhood obesity. Make healthy lunches a priority in your house by following these simple guidelines.

* Plan healthy lunches, and involve your kids in making them. Ask older children to make their own lunches from a choice of healthy foods.
* Ensure that lunches include three of the four food groups, and that snacks include two food groups.
* Choose the following food types more often: whole grains, dark green and orange vegetables, orange fruit, lower fat dairy products, and leaner sources of protein. A whole-grain tortilla wrap filled with low-fat cream cheese, sliced orange sweet pepper, baby spinach, and sliced turkey breast (along with an orange) includes all of these healthy food types in your child’s lunch!
* Encourage your kids to drink lots of water throughout the day.
* Be aware of school guidelines about food allergies such as peanuts.

Sold! On Healthy Eating in Schools

Children eat a lunch that includes choices from all four food groups. Adolescents make 78% of their vending machine purchases at school. Of these purchases, 64% include a beverage, 32% include candy or gum, and 26% include salty snacks.

How can a parent affect the school’s policy on food and nutrition? The first step is to get involved.

* Know what choices are available for your kids.
* Organize a committee of the parent advisory council to address any concerns.
* Talk to the principal, and work with school staff to improve the variety and availability of healthy food.
* Take a look at all the places where food is sold, including vending machines, the school store, and community sources.
* Consider giving your school a “food makeover” (see pages 36 to 41 of the SummerActive School Resource Guide described in the LEARN MORE section).

Special Event…Special Food

“If you clean your room, we can go and get ice cream!” Although there is always room for the occasional treat, parents and schools should try to reward good behaviour in ways that also promote healthy eating.

* Fundraising. Instead of the classic chocolate almond box, try selling cookbooks full of healthy recipes or cases of fruit at a bulk discount. You might also hold activity-based fundraisers such as a fun run or a skipathon.
* Student incentives. Instead of gummi bears and jelly beans, reward students with non-food rewards such as stickers, yo-yos, pencils, tennis balls, hacky sacks, or skipping ropes.
* Special events. Promote healthy eating at parent council meetings, staff meetings, and parent-teacher nights. Replace doughnuts and coffee with fruit and vegetable trays, water, and 100% juice.

School Nutrition Is Important

Parents, teachers, and students can work together to develop a policy on healthy eating at school without sacrificing variety and choice. Snacks and lunches packed at home, food sold and served at school, and special events all offer opportunities to encourage healthy eating.

Source: HealthyAlberta.com

Think about it. Not only do your kids spend about 1,150 hours a year at school, but childhood is the best time to make healthy choices a habit.

It only makes sense, then, to involve everyone in the school community (students, teachers, parents, and community members) in promoting healthy eating, physical activity, and mental health.

This article describes what a healthy school community is, gives you information about the benefits of improved health, and suggests ways for you to help promote a healthy school community.

What Is a Healthy School Community?

In a healthy school community, everyone is a partner, including students, teachers, parents, and community members. Involving all of these partners in health means that the school community can affect the health of parents, grandparents, and other family members as well as the health of students.

Your child receives the same health message whether he or she is at home, in school, or in the community. Kids also learn ways to stay healthy (especially through physical activity, healthy eating, and good mental health) and how to make good decisions about their health.

Healthy school communities also offer

• lots of health promotion (schools that do a really good job of promoting health may be called comprehensive school health (CSH) schools);
• health policies or guidelines, e.g., healthy eating guidelines to control what is sold in school stores and vending machines;
• a wellness-focused curriculum in the classroom; and
• a supportive social environment and school culture that promotes physical and emotional well being for students, staff, and parents.

It doesn’t take a lot to create a healthier school. Some changes include

• scheduling more physical education and physical activity;
• offering healthy lunches or healthy foods for sale in school cafeterias;
• banning the sale of soft drinks and increasing water and 100% juice sales;
• providing healthy eating and active living education;
• involving parents and community members in school activities; and
• offering training for school staff on how to develop a healthy school community.

Why Promote this Kind of School?

Schools can promote both learning and healthy living. Consider these facts:

• 95% of young people are enrolled in schools;
• schools have always promoted physical activity, healthy eating, and positive social behaviour (so schools are not taking on new responsibilities);
• well planned school programs can promote physical activity, healthy eating, mental health (e.g., by reducing bullying), and reducing TV viewing time.
• physical activity (including physical education and other types of activity) andhealthy eating programs can lead to better academic performance;
• healthy children and youth are better able to learn, live, work, and play.

What Can You Do?

You can help your children’s school become a healthy school. For starters, ask some of these questions at your parent advisory council.

How does our school community support health promotion through its policies, student learning, and supportive environments?

Are all partners involved (students, parents, staff, community members)?

Are our kids getting the same messages about health at home, at school, and in the community?

A healthy school community involves all partners and sends children the same message in the home, school, and community. Children who attend a healthy school can make informed, healthy decisions that affect their own lives and the lives of their families. As a parent, you can certainly play an active role in promoting a healthy school community.

Source: HealthyAlberta.com

Between kindergarten and Grade 12, children and teenagers enjoy literally thousands of lunches and snacks at school.

Packing a variety of healthy foods will help make sure your child gets all of the nutrients he or she needs. In addition, healthy eating fuels brain development and learning.

This article offers you information about:

* Planning healthy eating.
* Ways to involve the whole family in healthy eating.
* Food safety.
* Preparing environmentally friendly lunches.

Plan to Make Healthy Eating Simple
Make your trip to the grocery store fast and efficient by creating a simple lunch and snack menu for the week before you go grocery shopping.

Think in food groups when creating your lunch and snack menu:

* The four food groups include vegetables and fruit, grain products, milk and alternatives, and meat and alternatives.
* Choose foods from all of the four foods groups at lunch.
* Snacks should include foods from at least two of the four food groups.

Limit foods that are high in fat, sugar, salt or calories:

* Example of these foods include potato or nacho chips, cheese spreads, instant noodles, donuts, pastries, cakes, soft drinks, soft drinks, chocolate and candy.
* These foods provide few nutrients and can curb your child’s appetite for healthier choices.

Try something new:

* Lunches don’t need to be limited to sandwiches.
* For variety, try to send a range of different kinds of foods each day (see some suggestions for quick and healthy lunches below).

Don’t forget beverages:

* Provide thirst-quenching water or milk.
* Avoid sending pop, fruit drinks, lemonade, iced tea, or sport or energy drinks (these drinks are all high in sugar).

Base your shopping list on the foods on your menu:

* Organize your list by grouping similar foods together. This will let you move through the store quickly and help to prevent impulse buying.

Compare costs:

* Pre-packaged lunches may seem like a quick solution. However, these are generally more expensive and less nutritious than homemade lunches.

Here are some ideas for quick and nutritious school lunches:

* Hummus, pita bread wedges, raw vegetables, yogurt and canned fruit.
* Banana bran muffin, boiled egg, carrot sticks, milk.
* Leftover pasta, meat sauce, melon cubes, milk.
* Cold pizza (topped with lean meats), yogurt, apple.

Make It a Family Affair
Involving the whole family in lunch and snack preparation eases the workload and teaches children valuable skills. Make the experience enjoyable for everyone by:

* Having everything you need within arms’ reach.
* Assembling reusable containers and cutlery, thermoses, napkins, lunch bags and cold packs before you begin.
* Settting out the items on your lunch and snack menu so that they are ready for packing.
* Assigning each person a task appropriate to their age and skill level. For example, a kindergarten child could put napkins in each lunch bag while a teen makes sandwiches.

Use this time together to share the benefits of eating well and being active.

Play it Safe!
Lunch and snack foods can become unsafe if they are not kept cold enough.

* Cold packs or frozen containers of milk or juice can help to keep foods cool.
* You may need to use more than one cold pack to cool a larger lunch or snack.
* Thermal containers keep hot foods such as soups or leftover casseroles piping hot. These containers can also be used to keep cold foods cold.

Be Environmentally Friendly
Do what you can to reduce, reuse and recycle the waste that goes hand-in-hand with school lunches and snacks.

* Instead of using paper or plastic bags, outfit everyone in your family with their own lunch kit or fabric lunch bag.
* Pack sandwiches or snacks in reusable containers instead of disposable bags or plastic wrap.
* Buy reusable plastic cutlery.
* Remind your children and teens to bring their used cutlery home for washing.
* Send beverages in washable plastic bottles (clean beverage containers and water bottles every day to prevent the growth of unhealthy bacteria).
* Encourage your school to recycle.
* Encourage using classroom or school composters to recycle some food waste (Can and bottle bins can collect recyclable containers.)

Help your child or teen reap the benefits of healthy eating. Use lunch and snacks to send good nutrition back to school.

Source: HealthyAlberta.com

Kids can get confused when adults say one thing and do another. And it’s even more confusing when parents, teachers and other adults say and do different things.

This article offers you ways to model healthy living for your children and students. The article:

* Explains why consistent modelling or demonstrating healthy behaviour is important.
* Lists a range of actions parents and teachers can take to send and reinforce a consistent message about healthy eating and active living.

Why Modelling?
As a parent or teacher, you know that kids watch what you say and do very carefully. Any difference between your words and actions is picked up quickly, especially by teenagers.

Although this habit can be annoying, keep in mind that a key way for kids to learn is by watching and copying the behaviour of others.

When you practice healthy behaviours in your own life, you are helping to set the foundation for the young people in your life to become healthy, active adults. Don’t worry about being “perfect.” Just work on being consistent.

There’s a fringe benefit, too. Being more aware of your own health behaviours is also good for you!

Modelling Healthy Behaviour
Parents and teachers may want to consider adopting some or all of the following suggestions in order to ensure that kids receive consistent health messages at home and at school.

Healthy Eating
Parents can model healthy eating for their kids by:

* Taking time for a balanced breakfast.
* Packing a healthy lunch for work.
* Drinking plenty of water at home and at work.
* Providing “sit-down” meals as much as possible.
* Engaging kids in grocery shopping and meal planning.
* Demonstrating the proper role of “treat” foods such as pop or ice cream (to be eaten from time to time, but not as an “everyday” food).

Teachers can model healthy eating at school by:

* Looking into district nutrition policies for the school.
* Taking a critical look at foods provided at school (store, vending machines, breakfast and hot lunch programs etc.).
* Packing a balanced lunch and taking the time to eat it.
* Providing healthy snacks at school events (parent-teacher interviews, etc.).
* Using non-food rewards (pencils, skipping ropes) instead of candy
* Providing a balanced selection of food at staff and school functions.

Active Living
Parents can model active living by:

* Being active with their kids or while their kids are at activities.
* Parking at the far end of the lot when dropping kids off at school or shopping or arriving at work.
* Using active ways of transportation (walking, cycling) when possible.
* Developing a personal physical activity routine by doing what you enjoy and introducing your kids to those activities.
* Trying some of the activities your kids enjoy.
* Making time for physical activity by scheduling it into your busy life.

Teachers can become active living models by:

* Walking rapidly during supervision (indoor or outdoor).
* Joining in the activities during physical education classes, recess or lunch time.
* Encouraging active ways of transportation for self, staff and parents.
* Taking activity breaks during classes, staff meetings and assemblies.
* Supporting physical activity opportunities during and after school.
* Sharing your physical activity interests with students.

When parents and teachers model healthy behaviour, children and youth are more likely to imitate that healthy behaviour.

Modelling doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming. Start with a few small steps, involve your kids and take it from there!

Source: HealthyAlberta.com

Do you rarely get the chance to sit down for a meal or snack? If so, you’re not alone. In fact, more than half of Americans report that they eat in a hurry because of a busy schedule. Many of us even resort to what is known as “dashboard dining” (or eating in the car) because we lack time.

Unless you’re careful, this can translate into higher calorie eating because “grab and go” choices are often high in fat or sugar.
Fortunately, you can eat well even if you lack time.

Planning is key when it comes to adding healthy eating to a hectic lifestyle.

Know What You’re Up Against!

* Schedule It! Spend a small amount of time each weekend looking at your schedule for the coming week. Understanding your schedule will help you buy and prepare the foods you need for your “on the run” dining experiences.
* Add It Up. Consider how many meals or snacks you’ll need to bring with you and how many you can enjoy at home. You’ve got a project due on Wednesday? Plan to bring your lunch and save time on a busy day.
* Sunday looks like a quiet day? Plan a sit-down meal at home with family. This kind of planning will help you when you hit the grocery store to shop for food.
* Location Matters. Think about where you’ll enjoy your portable meals and snacks. What you eat at your office may not work when you have to grab a quick bite in your car the parking lot.
* Meals or Snacks? If your life is extremely hectic, there may be times when you simply don’t have the time to enjoy a full meal. Pack some healthy snacks or mini-meals that you can enjoy through your whole day.

Plan to Fit Your Schedule

Fit It in

Plan food choices that fit into your eating breaks. For example, a container of yogurt mixed with whole-grain cereal and a piece of fruit makes a better breakfast to go than a bowl of cereal and milk.

If you know you’ll be buying your lunch, think about where you can find healthy choices. Order a lean turkey sandwich on whole-wheat bread at your favourite sandwich shop.

Pita places are also terrific because you can control the ingredients. Ask for extra vegetables and a whole-wheat pita instead of white. Choose lean fillings such as chicken, turkey, ham or roast beef.

Go With the Guide

Choose one slice of whole-wheat bread, a tablespoon of peanut butter, an orange and a glass of milk for a quick breakfast. Enjoy a thermos filled with vegetable soup alongside a chicken wrap and a container of yogurt for lunch.

Add it all up. You’ll see that you’ve taken in:

* Two servings of Vegetables and Fruit.
* Three servings of Grain Products.
* Two servings of Milk and Alternatives.
* One and a half servings of Meat and Alternatives.

Cover the rest of the food you need every day in your dinner and snacks:

* Five servings of Vegetables and Fruit.
* Three servings of Grain Products.
* One-half to one serving of Meats and Alternatives.

Create a Grocery List

Base your list on your on-the-go menu.

Be sure to include food storage containers, ice packs and thermal containers on your list if you don’t own these items. A good supply of food containers allows you to bring a greater variety of foods.

Get Ready to Go!

* Become a Weekend Cook! Spend an hour (or even less) on the weekend washing and cutting up raw vegetables, so you can grab them and go once the work week gets going.
Make a batch of homemade soup or a casserole. Freeze individual portions for lunches or snacks. Whip up a batch of low-fat, whole-grain muffins that you can pair with a container of yogurt and piece of fruit for a hurried breakfast.
* Cook up Some Planned Leftovers. Double your dinner recipes when you do have time to cook. Freeze the leftovers and use them for meals on the go.
* Haul out Your Cooler. Coolers can keep foods safe to eat. Because they’re larger than a typical lunch bag, they allow you to bring more food. This is helpful if you’re going to eat several meals or snacks on the go.
* Make It Pleasant. Eating on the run can’t compete with a pleasant sit-down meal. Overcome this pitfall of a busy life by making your meal experience as pleasant as possible. Find a quiet place to eat. Turn off your cell phone. Bring along a nice napkin to protect your clothing.

Hectic lifestyles are a reality for many people. Fit healthy eating into your busy schedule by planning and preparing meals and snacks on weekends or periods of downtime.

Source: HealthyAlberta.com

Protect your food’s safety, quality, and nutritional value. Taking the time to safely store food helps prevent illnesses you can get from food. Storage also affects the quality of food. Let’s face it: no one enjoys eating a soft and wiggly stick of celery that has sat too long in the fridge! Finally, improper storage can cause some nutrients in foods to break down, leaving you with less than you paid for.

Keeping the food that you buy fresh and nutritious isn’t complicated. In fact, following a few simple guidelines will help you enjoy all of the benefits of healthy food.

At the Grocery Store

* Some foods need cooler temperatures to keep them safe and fresh, e.g., meat, fish, poultry, and milk products. Put these foods in your grocery cart just before you’re ready to pay for your groceries.

* Check the “best before date,” and choose the latest date possible. “Best before dates” tell you how long the unopened product will keep its taste and nutritional value.

* Avoid cans of foods that are bulging, leaking, or dented near a rim or seam. These dents may mean that bacteria have entered the food, making it unsafe to eat.

* Inspect produce carefully. Choose vegetables and fruit that look crisp and fresh. Avoid produce that is bruised, wilted, brown, or very soft.

* Go straight home. Food kept in a warm vehicle can reach unsafe temperatures. Heat can also destroy the taste and nutritional value of many foods. If you need to make a few stops on your way home, putting a cooler with a freezer pack inside the car is a good way to store your groceries safely.

At Home

* Keep your food cold. Refrigeration helps keep fresh food such as milk, red meat, poultry, fish, seafood, and certain types of produce safe and great tasting. Put away food that needs to be kept in the fridge or freezer as soon as you get home.

* Do a temperature check. Ideally, the temperature inside your fridge will read 4°C (40°F) or less. Freezers should keep food at -18°C (0° F) or less.

* Avoid the door. Keep meat, eggs, or milk on the shelves in the centre of your fridge instead of in the door where it’s often slightly warmer.

* Wash up. With the exception of leafy, salad greens (which may wilt without added water), do not wash fresh fruit and vegetables before storing. Instead, wash produce just before you plan to eat it. Wash all vegetables and fruit (even those that you will peel) under clean, cold running water for several minutes. (Using soap is not necessary.)

* Use leftovers sooner rather than later. Eat leftovers within two to three days, or freeze them for later use.

* Know when it has to go. Different food can be kept safely for different lengths of time. Know the safe storage times of different foods, and throw out food that is past its due date. If in doubt, throw it out!

Safety First!

Don’t take chances when it comes to food safety. Throw out any food that hasn’t been stored properly or that you believe is unsafe.

Source: HealthyAlberta.com

Do you want to make healthy food choices but struggle to actually make healthy eating happen? If so, you’re not alone. Almost 90% of us believe that healthy eating is very important. But almost half of us also say that it is often hard to eat in a healthy way.

Taking a few minutes each week to plan meals is one way to translate good intentions into healthy food choices. And, believe it or not, you don’t need to be a chef or dietitian to plan healthy menus for your family. In fact, menu planning can be fairly simple if you keep a few tips in mind.

Step 1: Getting Ready

• Involve All Family Members in Menu Planning. Give each person the chance to talk about their food likes and dislikes, favourite recipes, and what they’d like to see on the family menu. Give family members tasks such as helping out with shopping for food, unpacking groceries, setting the table, or cooking.
• Set Aside Some Time. Spend half an hour each week in menu planning. Pick a quiet time so that you can focus.
• Get It In Writing. Brainstorm a list of meal ideas. Write down your ideas to help you remember them. Putting your menus in writing means that you can use them again in the future.

Step 2: Planning Main Courses

• Start with the Main Attraction. First, decide on the main course for each meal over the coming week. Think about food your family enjoys, your budget, the time you have to prepare the food, and nutrition.
• Mix It up. Try to introduce one new main course each week, so that your family gets to experience new tastes. Adding new main courses also makes it more likely that your family members will get all the nutrients they need.
• Use Leftovers. Look for chances to use the leftovers from one meal at another meal later in the week.

Step 3: Planning Side Dishes and Drinks

• Super Sides and Drinks. Once you’ve come up with a main course for each meal, add on side dishes (e.g., vegetables, fruit and whole-grain side dishes such as brown rice or whole wheat pasta). Serve milk, fortified soy beverages or water with meals, rather than juices, or soft drinks. Make water readily available between meals to quench thirst.
• Mix It up. As with the main courses, look for chances to sneak in new healthy food choices.

Check It Out!

Ideally, your daily menus will meet or be more than the recommended minimum number of servings for each of the four food groups.

Sometimes you need to use time to save time. By setting aside a few minutes each week to plan a menu for your family, you will save time and make healthy eating happen.

Source: HealthyAlberta.com

Young people change amazingly between the ages of six and 18. During this time, as they’re building the bone mass they will carry into adulthood, many school-aged children grow at astounding rates. Healthy eating is essential to fuel this rapid growth and development

This article explains how young people’s nutritional needs are different from those of adults and suggests ways to help them develop healthy eating habits.

Recognize Their Special Nutritional Needs
The bone-building process requires large amounts of calcium and vitamin D. These nutrients are provided by the foods in the Milk and Alternatives food group, e.g., low-fat milk (white or chocolate) and low-fat, fortified soy beverages.

Like adults, children over the age of two and teens need to limit foods that are high in calories, fat, sugar and salt (sodium). This can be difficult, since eating out has become a way of life for many kids. Restaurants and fast food outlets often provide food that contains far more of these elements than they need.

You can help by:

• Teaching your children to choose milk or water (instead of pop) and a salad (instead of french fries).
• Making your children aware of the large portions served in restaurants (give them permission not to clear their plates if they’ve had enough).

Get off to a Good Start With Breakfast
Breakfast is often called the most important meal of the day. A healthy breakfast offers essential nutrients and energy to fuel physical activity and learning. Children who eat breakfast are more likely to do well in school.

Think outside the cereal box. Breakfast can take many forms and still be healthy. Your children might enjoy these different breakfast menus:

• Soup and a glass of low-fat milk.
• A peanut butter sandwich and an apple on the way out the door.
• A turkey wrap (lean turkey, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes rolled up in a whole wheat tortilla).
• Baked beans on a slice of whole wheat toast or an English muffin.

Encourage Healthy Snacking
Snacking helps to provide the calories and nutrients that kids and teens need to grow and develop. Most kids need one or two snacks each day, and very active children may need more.

Many prepared snack foods are high in calories, sugar, fat or salt (sodium). For example, pop is often referred to as “liquid candy,” because one 355-millilitre can contains as much as 50 millilitres of sugar and few other nutrients.
Limit your kids’ consumption of:

• pop
• sweetened drinks (e.g., iced tea, fruit drinks, lemonade)
• sport drinks
• cookies
• potato chips
• nachos
• candy

Instead, provide easy-to-access to healthy snack foods. Try these ideas:

• Keep a bowl of fruit on the kitchen counter.
• Stock your fridge with cut-up raw vegetables and fruits, yogurt, cheese and milk.
• Place whole grain crackers and cereals within easy reach, so children can create their own healthy snacks.

Source: HealthyAlberta.com