Menu Planning

It's been awhile since I posted, I apologize, school has been very busy. I spent the last three weeks in a long term care facility learning about their food service and administration. I had a chance to review the menu and even survey some Elders for suggestions to change it. I think there are times when we all need to take a look at our menus. You might not have a written menu, but it is possible that you have a few meals you tend to rotate through the line-up.

When planning your menu, try to add variety, it not only makes eating exciting, but also helps ensure you get all the nutrients you need for your health. A good place to start is to look at Canada's Food Guide. You can use the recommended servings as a guideline, but it is good to see the proportions. Aim to have half of your plate full of vegetables, a quarter with a grain (preferably whole grain), and a quarter with a protein source (preferably low fat). This is a good idea for planning your lunches and suppers. You can complete that meal with a glass of milk and a piece of fruit. The idea is to get more vegetables, usually our plates are full of the grains and proteins!

Steph Wheler
www.nutrishus.com

Ask Questions

There are many things that affect eating behaviour; and we are also all very individual with very different eating behaviours. You can start to understand your own reasons for eating by asking yourself the 5Ws:
What: What are you doing? (if your attention is not on eating, then you may overeat and not realize it)
Where: Where are you eating? (you should have one place in your home where you eat, and only eat there)
Why: Why are you eating? (are you actually hungry, or just bored/sad/lonely/socializing...)
When: When are you eating? (if you eat about every 3 hours you are less likely to overeat, because you don't let yourself get so hungry that you will reach for anything)
How: How do you feel? (emotions play a large role in why we eat what we eat)

Start thinking, start asking questions.

Steph Wheler
www.nutrishus.com