Nutrition Month: Unlock the Potential of Food

March is celebrated throughout Canada as Nutrition Month: A time to bring attention to the importance of making informed food choices and developing healthy eating habits.

Nutrition Month 2024 aims to demonstrate how dietitians can support individuals in making healthy choices and learning more about food security, literacy, sovereignty and sustainability. Dietitians use the science of nutrition to help people understand the connection between food and health, and provide personalized guidance to meet their needs and goals. While many Canadians view dietitians as trusted healthcare professionals, there can be barriers to access, such as where to find a dietitian. For more information on how to find a dietitian, visit the Unlock Food website.

Healthy Food Choices

Healthy food choices look different for every person, with several factors like culture, food traditions, personal circumstances and nutritional needs playing a role in everyone's nutritional health. Learning more about the options available helps everyone unlock the potential of food. One way individuals can help themselves make good decisions about what they eat is by learning more about Canada's Food Guide.

Healthy Eating Recommendations

Healthy eating is more than the foods you eat. It is also about where, when, why and how you eat.

• Be mindful of your eating habits.
• Cook more often.
• Enjoy your food.
• Eat meals with others.

Make it a habit to eat a variety of healthy foods each day.

• Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits, whole grain foods and protein foods. Choose protein foods that come from plants more often.
• Choose foods with healthy fats instead of saturated fat
• Limit highly processed foods. If you choose these foods, eat them less often and in small amounts.
• Make water your drink of choice; replace sugary drinks with water
• Use food labels.
• Be aware that food marketing can influence your choices.

Source: https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/healthy-eating-recommendations

More Information

For more information about Nutrition Month, visit unlockfood.ca or contact nutritionmonth@dietitians.ca.