Category Archives: Nutrition

Let’s help feed our neighbours

April 10, 2019 Willoughby Town Centre

Spring is finally in the air!! As we all look forward to wearing less layers of clothing, we can also look forward to gardening plans and summer plans. For many of us, we are very fortunate in the sense that we go to the grocery store to pick up fresh produce and weekly staples as needed to make our weekly meals. This is not always the case for all Canadians.

According to Food Banks Canada’s HungerCount 2018 report, there were 1.1 million visits to food banks in March 2018 and overall, 35 per cent of those who visited the food bank last year were children.

During the winter, donations to the local food bank peak around the holiday season, but they are often at their lowest in the spring and summer months. This spring, as we gather around our dinner tables to eat together with our family and friends, let’s think of our neighbours and share what we can with others.

When grocery shopping, pick up an extra can of PC Blue Menu no salt added beans or vegetables to add to the donation bin at the front of your local store. You could also consider picking up a bag of dried fruit or dried fruit bars. Canned fruit and apple sauce can always be a good option as well, just be sure to look for no sugar added options. When looking at other non-perishable items, consider whole grain cereals that have less than 8 grams of sugar per serving and have more than 4 grams of fibre per serving.

While non-perishable food items are always put to good use, monetary donations are also very useful to local area food banks, as it allows them the flexibility to purchase fresh grocery items such as in-season, local produce, as well as dairy products, meat, and bread.

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Whitney is a registered dietitian with Hakam’s Your Independent Grocer. He/She is part of a network of more than 70 dietitians who provide services like one-on-one consultations, assisted shopping, school tours and recipe ideas at locations across the country. To book an appointment, please visit bookadietitian.ca.

Nutrition

How a Registered Dietitian Can Help You Unlock the Potential of Food

March 13, 2019 Willoughby Town Centre

Do you ever feel lost in the aisles of a grocery store and wish someone were around to help you read labels?

Struggle to make meals that the whole family will enjoy without spending all evening cooking?

Wish you knew how to eat in a way that would help prevent or manage your health condition?

March is Nutrition Month and Whitney, the Registered Dietitian at Hakam’s Your Independent Grocer, is excited to help you reach your nutrition goals and unlock the potential of food!

Registered Dietitians are health care professionals passionate about sharing their evidenced-based nutrition knowledge with the public. They go beyond diet fads and rely on science to give hands-on dietary advice. With so much nutrition information circulating on different platforms, it can be difficult to know what to believe. Let us help you separate fact from fiction and incorporate research-based recommendations into their day-to-day routines.

When you book a consultation, your local in-store dietitian will help you to develop and personalize your nutritional goals, based on your medical history and lifestyle. Based on your goals, they will guide you toward realistic and life-long habits that allow you to feel your best.

As real people with busy schedules, they understand that eating well can feel like a daunting task. Whether at a sit-down consultation or on a personalized shopping tour, your in-store dietitian wants to help you see food as a part of your life that is inspiring and joy-filled, not burdensome. Nutrition Month is a perfect opportunity to get help choosing snacks that keep you well-fueled throughout the day, plan balanced meals that you look forward to and find ways to include your whole family in the kitchen.

Food has the power to heal us, bring us together, keep us energized and let us explore. Join us in celebrating Dietitians Day on March 20th by getting to know the Registered Dietitian at your local Independent Grocer. Schedule your first appointment by visiting www.loblaws.ca/dietitians.

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Whitney is a registered dietitian with Hakam’s Your Independent Grocer. She is part of a network of more than 70 dietitians who provide services like one-on-one consultations, assisted shopping, school tours and recipe ideas at locations across the country.

News, Nutrition

Canada’s Food Guide wants us to Eat Together

February 11, 2019 Willoughby Town Centre

The revamped Canada’s Food Guide not only wants Canadians to change up the way they look at nutrition, but also wants us to spend more time with family and friends around the dinner table.

Our food preferences and eating habits have evolved and so has the latest version of Canada’s Food Guide. While still focusing on establishing healthy nutritional habits, the revamped food guide also puts emphasis on how we eat.

Eating together is not only a great way to instill new habits and achieve our nutrition goals, it also allows you to find your passion for cooking, nutrition, and sustainability as a family. To make the most of mealtime, it is also recommended that we put away our devices and enjoy quality time with our loved ones.

This is also a great opportunity to cook together as a family. Getting the kids involved in the kitchen is a great way to teach good nutritional habits that will last them a lifetime. When working to establish new habits, try to set SMART goals to help your family remain accountable and have fun tracking your progress along the way.

Setting goals to incorporate the revamped Canada’s Food Guide recommendations to your mealtimes can be as easy as setting aside one day a week to meal-prep for the week ahead, planning a weekly dinner with friends or extended family, making the commitment to go meatless on Mondays or introducing new recipes to your repertoire.

New recipes are a great way to change up mealtime and try new foods. Canada’s Food Guide stresses the importance of the healthy plate which is a very simply way to think about balance and portion size. The healthy plate model is half vegetables, and the rest of the plate is balanced out with whole grains and protein-rich foods. When it comes to serving healthy proteins, try new, sustainable alternatives. Make an effort to swap out ground meats in recipes for black beans and crumbled tofu on taco night or chickpeas and lentils in chili or shepherd’s pie.

Loblaw has a great tool available on their website as part of its Raise a Food Lover initiative to help you and your family get cooking together and keep track of your goals. Check it out at www.yourindependentgrocer.ca/CSRchallenges.

If you find yourself needing additional assistance reaching your nutrition goals, registered dietitians here to help you to identify long term and sustainable lifestyle changes to ensure sustained success. To book an appointment, stop by in-store or go to www.loblaws.ca/dietitians. Whitney is available to answer all of your nutrition questions!

One-Pan Zucchini Noodle and White Bean Puttanesca

• Serves: 4
• Ready In: 20 Minutes
• Skill Level: Easy
• Cuisine: Vegetarian

Puttanesca – a bold Italian pasta dish made with tomatoes, olives and capers – is known for being incredibly simple to make, but we’ve taken it one step further by creating a one-pan version. Even better: We’ve swapped out the pasta for zucchini noodles, so you can squeeze extra veggies onto your plate.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil
• 1 cup (250 mL) PC Cherry Tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch (0.5 mL) hot pepper flakes
• 1 can (540 mL) PC Blue Menu White Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) PC Whole Kalamata Olives, drained, pitted and sliced
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) capers, drained and rinsed
• 1 pkg (340 g) PC Zucchini Veggie Noodles
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) torn fresh basil

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Add garlic, salt, black pepper and hot pepper flakes; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beans; cook, stirring often, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in olives and capers. Transfer to large bowl. Set aside.

3. Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add veggie noodles; cook, tossing and stirring often, until tender-crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomato mixture; cook, stirring to coat, until heated through, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with basil.

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Whitney Hussain is a registered dietitian with the Your Independent Grocers in Surrey, Langley and Coquitlam. She is part of a network of more than 70 dietitians who provide services like one-on-one consultations, assisted shopping, school tours and recipe ideas at locations across the country. For more information, please visit www.loblaws.ca/dietitians

Nutrition

Nutritional Guide for Surviving the Holidays

December 23, 2018 Willoughby Town Centre

The holidays are a special time of year – one for gathering with friends and family, enjoying delicious meals and participating in gift exchanges. Without a mindful approach, it is easy to overindulge in holiday cheer. Use the following nutritional guide for surviving the holidays to help you plan ahead and navigate the holiday season without overindulging.

Enjoy holiday treats that only come once a year

To manage your sugar consumption over the festive season, savour those special treats that come only once a year. Avoid the other sweets that you can eat any other time of year.

Keep active throughout the holidays

We may be eating a little more during the holidays so it’s especially important to maintain regular physical activity. Go build a snowman, walk around your neighborhood and see all the lights, go skating at a local rink or walk inside at a local mall. Aim for at least 150 minutes of activity per week.

Fill half your plate with veggies first

When there are lots of options it is easy to over fill our plates and consume larger portions than we may need. Filling our plates with veggies first will allow for us to manage our portions and choose healthier options.

Sip Smart

With the holidays comes high sugar foods and beverages. Be aware of the sugar content that come with eggnog and other festive drinks. Enjoy them, but in moderation. Have one of your favourite holiday cocktails, then switch to a low sugar option such as sparkling water flavoured with fresh fruit.

Plan Ahead

Don’t show up to a party starving – that is a recipe for overeating. Have a snack before leaving your house and engage in conversation instead of heading straight to the snack table.

Eat Mindfully

When attending holiday gatherings, take the time to really enjoy and appreciate the smells, flavours and textures of each bite. Being mindful of what you are eating will help you realize when you are full and help limit overindulging.

Make holiday recipes healthier

Lots of recipes can be made a little healthier by searching for healthier ingredient substitutes. For baked goods, swap sugar for unsweetened apple sauce, prunes or dates.

If you’re looking for more information on mindful eating this holiday season, Whitney is here to help! Book a session to learn more about simple ways to boost nutrition this holiday season and on into the new year.

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Whitney is a registered dietitian with the Your Independent Grocers in Surrey, Langley and Coquitlam. She is part of a network of more than 70 dietitians who provide services like one-on-one consultations, assisted shopping, school tours and recipe ideas at locations across the country.