Start small
It’s easier to integrate small changes into your eating habits rather than a full-scale nutrition renovation. Begin to change by setting a goal to alter just one food choice. Small changes are easier to stick with, and over time can have a significant impact on your health.

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For example, substitute water for pop, or have an apple instead of a doughnut for a snack. Other small starts include:

• Gradually move from whole or two per cent milk to one per cent or skim. This decreases the fat and calories you’ll take in.
• Switch from white bread to 100 per cent whole-wheat bread. This simple change will increase your fibre intake.
• Add frozen vegetables to your pasta sauce. This will give you an extra serving or two of nutrient-rich produce.
• Slowly reduce the total amount you eat by cutting portion sizes. Decreasing the amount you eat can make weight management much easier. Try to eat three-quarters of what you would normally serve yourself to keep portions in check.

Take a hands-on approach
Lack of time is often cited as a reason for eating out instead of cooking, but cooking can be both fast and fun if you plan well.

Step back into the kitchen and create your own healthy meals and snacks:

• Have breakfast for dinner. Make quick-to-prepare breakfast dishes such as scrambled eggs and whole-wheat toast or omelettes filled with sliced vegetables and lean ham or chicken.
• Cook with a slow cooker. Slow cookers make it possible for you to have a hot meal ready when you walk in the door after work or school. Cook a lean cut of meat with vegetables. Enjoy the meal for dinner one night; then reheat the leftovers the next evening and serve with a whole-wheat bun. You can even cook oatmeal in a slow cooker overnight and wake up to a hearty, healthy breakfast. Add dried fruit or substitute 100 per cent fruit juice for water to boost flavour.
• Keep it simple. Dinner needs to be nutritious, not elaborate.

Healthy, but simple options include:

• sandwiches made with whole-grain breads
• lots of vegetables and lean meats
• eggs, poultry or hummus
• homemade soup plus a salad
• stir-fries

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Focus your efforts
Some foods provide plenty of calories and few other nutrients. For example, one 355 ml can of cola provides the equivalent of eight teaspoons of sugar!

Reducing how often you choose these kinds of foods is a simple change that can have a significant impact on your health.
Foods to limit include:

• Pop and other soft drinks
• Gourmet coffee and tea drinks
• Alcoholic beverages
• Commercially made baked goods such as muffins, super-sized bagels and cookies
• Snack foods such as potato chips, nachos and cheese puffs
• Deep-fried foods such as chicken nuggets, fries and onion rings

Here’s how you can say “no thanks” to these less nutritious foods:

• Don’t buy them in the grocery store. If they’re not in your cupboards, it’s more difficult to eat too much.
• Find a tasty alternative. Enjoy homemade bran or oat bran and fruit muffins instead of the store-bought mega-muffins. Have grilled chicken instead of breaded chicken strips or nuggets.
• Enjoy high-fat, sugary and/or salty foods in a planned way. Plan to have a moderate portion of your favourite less-nutritious food at a time when you can really enjoy the taste. If you enjoy potato chips, plan to have a small portion instead of grabbing a bag and eating it on the run.

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You can make healthy eating happen in your household. Start small and make gradual changes to your food choices. Next, plan to cook more often so you have more control over what you eat. Finally, focus on cutting back on those foods that give you fat, sugar or calories and little else. Before you know it, you’ll be eating well and feeling great.

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Learn more
Sugar Shocker Education Kit
Parents and teachers can use this comprehensive education kit from Capital Health to help children recognize foods that are high in sugar.

Stocking Your Kitchen
The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada provides this practical advice on the foods you need in your pantry in order to pull together a heart-healthy meal in less than 30 minutes.

Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference
Additional ideas from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada for small changes that can have a big impact on your health.

Let’s Make a Meal
Build a one-day, healthy menu (with recipes) with this tool from the Dietitians of Canada.