Confused about what to eat?

Nutrition is certainly one of the ‘hot’ topics today. We’re constantly bombarded by articles and headlines recommending trendy new diets or the latest food fad. No wonder we’re all a little confused about what a ‘healthy diet’ really means!

Making healthy choices
Healthy eating doesn’t have to be a complicated process. If you eat a variety of foods every day, and eat in moderation, you're already well on your way.

It’s all about making healthy choices – not just for one day or one meal, but every day, all day long!

Here are some action steps to help you get started – and keep you heading in the right direction.

Assess your eating habits

•	Write down everything you eat for a week. Be honest – no cheating!
•	Measure your servings to see how much you’re really eating in a day – the size of your portions will probably surprise you.
•	Now, compare your diet with the daily recommendations in Canada’s Food Guide for Healthy Eating. Are you meeting the daily dietary requirements? No? Then it’s definitely time to take action!
•	Want more? Go to Healthy diet 101 for a closer look at the basics of a healthy diet.

Take time to eat regularly

•	Your body needs energy all day long. Try to schedule time for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
•	Too busy to sit down for three square meals a day? Then plan for six-mini meals – make up small, healthy servings that you can snack on during short breaks in your workday.

Don’t run on empty

•	Would you drive your car with an empty gas tank? Of course not! Well, after a long night’s sleep, your body’s fuel tank is empty too – so make sure you find time for breakfast.
•	Nutritionally speaking, breakfast is the most important meal of the day - it revs your metabolism and helps you perform better all day.
•	Are your mornings too chaotic to fit in breakfast? Plan ahead – hard boil some eggs the night before for an easy, ready-to-go breakfast.

Learn to be label savvy

•	Most packaged food has nutrition information on the label – knowing how to read a label helps you compare the nutritional value of similar products. Learn more about food labels at: Learning to read Nutrition Facts Labels
•	Ingredients are listed in order, based on the amount used by weight – the first ingredient on the list makes up the largest percentage of the packaged food.
•	Claims like ‘low in fat’ or ‘high fibre’ are defined and regulated by the government – but don’t simply rely on these claims – read the whole label to get the detailed nutritional story.

Remember – small changes make a BIG difference to your health
Want more information about a healthy lifestyle? Visit the Region of Peel Public Health website for a wealth of great ideas and useful tips.

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