August 02, 2008. Looking to make some healthy lifestyle changes for your family? 

Summer time, when your kids are out of school, is a great time to get started, planning fun healthy meals and getting outdoors to play more together. With a few helpful tips and tools making some positive changes might be simpler than you think.

Start by taking a look in your grocery cart next time you go shopping and consider the foods you keep in your cupboards, fridge and freezer. That simple step should give you a pretty good idea of your typical food choices. The key is to remember that healthy eating starts at home and you can influence your family’s habits.

Want a little guidance to get you pointed in the right direction? The Mission Nutrition team has developed a whole new series of tips and tools to help families make healthy living coming alive in your home. The Mission Nutrition program features adventures in learning created by Canadian dietitians to support teachers and families in instilling healthy eating habits in school age children.

Let the family healthy eating tool kit in the families’ section at www.missionnutrition.ca be your “how to” guide to help you make healthy choices and stay on track this summer. 

Learn how to plan healthy breakfasts, lunches and snacks, rate your meals to see how they measure up and make your food choices count by shopping well with Canada’s Food Guide. Try the fun family activities to set goals for healthy living, check out the healthy living tips, get answers to frequently asked questions and find reliable healthy living resources.

Need some extra motivation to get you going? Enter the Mission Nutrition Healthy Eating Challenge for a chance to win a healthy eating makeover for your family. 

Complete the family breakfast planner found in the “family healthy eating tool kit” at www.missionnutrition.ca and submit it with your entry form before August 22nd. 

A registered dietitian could be visiting your home this Fall to give you useful tips for planning healthy meals and snacks for your family. She can help you identify healthy eating and shopping goals and develop a healthy eating plan tailored to your family’s particular needs and food preferences to guide you on your healthy living journey.

Remember, healthy living is about making healthy choices, like eating well, being active and feeling good about yourself every day. You can teach your family about healthy eating choices through the foods you offer and by being a good role model. 

Registered dietitian Lynn Roblin gives this advice:

• Keep nutritious foods and snacks close at hand. For example, put a bowl of fruit on your kitchen counter, keep cut vegetables, fruit and yogurt in the refrigerator or pack with a cereal bar in the kids’ lunch boxes.

• Plan meals ahead of time using the meal planners on the Mission Nutrition website. Having a plan makes it easier to know what to shop for and can help speed up meal preparation time. You might even get other members to start a meal on their own if they know what is planned.

• Aim to include nutritious foods from at least three of the four food groups for breakfast and foods from all four food groups for lunch and dinner.

• Focus on offering nutritious food choices and teach children that foods and beverages high in calories, fat, sugar or salt should be limited, but can be enjoyed at times.

• Eat with your children. When families eat together, children tend to make healthier food choices and get more of the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development.