Nothing better than breaking for lunch with coworkers and enjoying the sunshine while enjoying a healthy meal. Staff at four VCH sites last week celebrated healthy eating and the joy of food by having outdoor picnics.  They also learned more about the new healthy eating meal-planning tools called the Healthy Plate and Healthy Bowl being introduced to VCH staff to use with patients and clients.

It’s simple: for a healthy, balanced meal fill half your plate or bowl with a variety of vegetables, a quarter with whole grains and a quarter with meats & alternatives.  Add a serving of fruit and milk or milk alternatives to complete your meal.  Eating more vegetables and less refined carbohydrates is a great way to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and increase dietary nutrient content.

Discuss Healthy Plate with clients and patients

The healthy plate and healthy bowl are simple, quick and effective tools to use with youth and adult patients/clients.  You can put up the posters or leave some handouts in your waiting room or lunch room.  Even better – have a quick conversation with your patients and clients about healthy eating using motivational interviewing (MI) techniques.  MI is a best-practice technique to help people with behavior change.  Click here for a guide.

Visit the new VCH webpage for links to the posters, handouts and placemats as well as lots of healthy eating tips from VCH dietitians and foodies!

Share your opinion

What about the Canada Food Guide? Find out what Dr. Patricia Daly thinks about the guide in her blog post.