Healthy Eating Day – How to Positively Promote Heart Health to Friends and Family
National Healthy Eating Day is on Nov. 1, 2021. On this day, the goal is to raise awareness about making smart food choices at work, home, school and when eating out.
The Government of Canada emphasizes that good health is a major contributing factor for social, economic, and social development. The healthier Canadians are, the less burden there will be on the country’s health care system.
Generally speaking, Canadians lead relatively healthy lives. Many make healthy food choices and incorporate exercise into their daily lives. With that said, we all know people who could do better with their eating choices and by moving more.
How can we approach friends and family who need a little encouragement and guidance to make better food choices?
Eating better at home
It’s important to model healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle if you want your family on 
board. If you’re wanting your spouse and kids, for example, to eat better, it’s important to have healthy food choices available in the home.
When grocery shopping, avoid the aisles that include processed and sugary foods (ex. The cookie and chip aisle!). Shop first for produce, which includes items from Canada’s Food Guide. Make sure to buy vegetables, fruit, protein and grains.
Stocking your pantry and fridge with heart healthy items will prevent you and your family from binging on unhealthy snacks.
Get the family involved – grocery shop together, cook together, and most importantly, eat together!
Need grocery list or recipe ideas? Check out our blog 14 Foods to Add to Your Heart Healthy Grocery List.
Eating out with friends and family
Spending time with friends and family is important to our mental health. Eating healthy 
should never be a deterrent for eating out. Most restaurants, even fast-food restaurants, have many healthier food options. Yes, it’s true, they do. You just have to be more conscious about what you order!
Women’s Health Magazine published an article about The 10 Healthiest McDonald’s Menu Items, According to a Dietitian.
Again, modeling good food choice behaviour is key to influencing others to also make better choices.
What are considered heart healthy foods?
The Heart and Stroke Foundation states that ultra-processed foods like candy, soft drinks,
pizza, and chips do not contain enough of the beneficial nutrients that the body requires. The more ultra-processed foods we eat, the poorer the overall nutritional quality of our diet.
Using the Canada Food Guide helps Canadians to make better food choices. Included on the food guide’s website are delicious recipes to get you started.
A variety of fruits and vegetables along with servings of protein and a starch are considered hearty healthy options. Portion control is also important, as is staying hydrated. Drinking lots of water each day can also help with curbing hunger pangs.
If you need support to make healthy food choices or even need someone to plan your meals, working with a registered dietitian can be very helpful.
Adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes making heart healthy food choices does not have to be daunting or frustrating. Good habits can be built in just a few months!
On Healthy Eating Day, choose to eat better foods – for you, your friends and family!
Resources:
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/g29800308/mcdonalds-menu-nutrition/
https://www.heartandstroke.ca/articles/what-is-ultra-processed-food
