March is Nutrition Month and this year’s theme is “Simply Cook and Enjoy!”
A lot of us are busy and our lifestyle and priorities have changed over the last 20 years. We rely on quick and easy meals that are often prepared or pre-packaged. This is leading to a loss of cooking skills for all ages of Canadians.
If we’re not cooking, how are we going to pass these skills on to our children? You may ask why this is a problem when there are so many quick easy things to pick up at the grocery store or so many restaurants to visit or get take-out from. Maybe our kids don’t even need to learn to cook? Well, research shows that kids who help in the kitchen have healthier diets.
Research has also shown that the children and teens from families who regularly eat together make better food choices, have healthier weights, have a reduced risk for eating disorders, and have improved school performance. It is also known that relying on processed, prepared and restaurant food can cause significant negative health consequences.
This is all well and good but factors like lack of time, energy and ideas seem to make it hard for us to spend the time needed on food preparation. Here are three tips from Dietitians of Canada to help:
Tip 1: Cook once. Eat twice. Make weeknight cooking a breeze with planned extras;
– grilling chicken or fish? Grill a couple of extra pieces for sandwiches or salads.
– roasting veggies? Roast extras to toss with pasta, barley, or quinoa or to top a pizza.
– serving chili? Cook a bigger pot and then make enchiladas (baked chili wraps); and
– having salad with supper? Make extra and put it in the fridge, without dressing, for tomorrow’s lunch.
Tip 2: Double up! Make a double batch of breakfast on the weekend to enjoy during the week;
– refrigerate extra whole grain pancakes. Reheat in the toaster and top with almond butter and sliced bananas. Enjoy with a glass of milk;
– make a big pot of oatmeal. Store in single portions in the fridge or freezer. Reheat in the microwave and serve with a scoop of berries and walnut pieces; and
– bake a vegetable-filled frittata and refrigerate extra slices. They’re tasty hot or cold.
Tip 3: Find weekdays too hectic to cook with kids?:
– give kids easy tasks, such as stirring, when you’re in a hurry. You can be prepping other ingredients.
– cook on weekends, when you can take more time to teach skills. Make a little extra for leftovers during the week;
– choose easy-to-follow recipes with lots of tasks kids can help with; and
– prepare some ingredients before you start cooking.
Need recipes? Check out Cookspiration, the new website and mobile app created by Dietitians of Canada for simple ideas. Another great resource is www.eatrightontario.ca. You can also call them and speak to a registered dietitian for free at 1-877-510-5102.
For more information about meeting with a registered dietitian or any of the free services offered by the Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team, visit www.mmfht.ca or call the Drayton office at 519-638-2110 or Clifford office at 519-327-4777.
Like us on facebook (Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team) and follow us on twitter (@MintoMapleton) for healthy living tips and information on upcoming programs and events in the area.
Jenny Harrison is a registered dietician with the Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team.
