March is Nutrition Month and this year’s campaign is focused on the challenges women face with healthy living. The greatest challenge facing women who want to eat well is time. Juggling a career while being responsible for most of the meal planning, shopping, preparation and cleanup, is particularly challenging.

Challenge: No time to prepare a healthy meal

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Solution: Planning and shopping ahead may seem like a time-consuming effort initially but over the long run can help save time and money, reduce stress, and improve nutrient intakes.

• Get organized. Stock your cupboards, fridge and freezer with basics that will help you pull together nutritious meals in a hurry. These include foods from each of the four food groups in Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating: Whole Grain Products; Vegetables and Fruit; Milk Products; Meats & Meat Alternatives; and Other Foods.
• Plan ahead. Choose three or four main dinner meals to have during the week, make a list of items needed and purchase ahead of time.
• Prepare meals in advance or start them the night before to shorten prep time after work.
• Make only one meal. Store leftovers safely in the fridge for latecomers to heat up when they get home.
• Share the tasks. Younger children can set the table, older kids can help with food preparation and everyone can help with the cleanup.
• Make life interesting. Try a new recipe or new food every once in awhile. Ask family members to find and suggest recipes that they would like to try.

Challenge: Conflicting schedules leave no time to enjoy meals together as a family

Solution: Studies show that eating family meals together is associated with healthy eating patterns. Eating together also helps develop healthy food habits in children particularly when parents are good role models. While it’s hard to make family meals happen all the time – the ideas below will help your family eat well together as often as possible.

• Be flexible. Try to schedule activities so you have some time everyday to eat a meal together.
• Make nutritious snacks available. Have healthy foods on hand for after school or after work. Keep healthy snacks in the car or in your bag to avoid the vending machines and fast food stops.
• Make meal times simple and enjoyable. Turn off the TV and enjoy discussing the day’s events.
• Keep track of winning meals. Don’t be afraid to mark up your cookbook with comments to remind yourself how good (or bad) a meal was.

Information adapted from the Dietitians of Canada 2003 Nutrition Month Campaign. Visit the Dietitians of Canada website www.dietitians.ca/eatwell or www.tbdhu.com for recipe ideas, nutrition tips, fact sheets, and healthy eating solutions.

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