“More Than Food” the Focus of Nutrition Month this March
Written by Communications, March 2, 2020
Community Encouraged to Consider How They Eat, Not Just What They Eat
Peterborough Public Health announced today that “More Than Food” is the theme for this year’s Nutrition Month starting March 1, 2020.
“Healthy eating is more than the foods you eat. It is also about where, when, why and how you eat,” said Ashleigh Callan, Registered Dietitian at Peterborough Public Health (PPH). “Our eating habits and environments support many other health benefits for individuals, families and communities that go beyond food’s nutrient value.”
To bring the “More Than Food” theme to life, PPH Registered Dietitians invite community members to a nutrition event on Thursday, March 26 at Morello’s Your Independent Grocer located at 400 Lansdowne Street East. A PPH Registered Dietitian will be available from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 4 p.m. to talk about Canada’s new Food Guide, offer tasty samples, and give away loot bags filled with resources. Participants can also enter their name for a prize, and sign up for a grocery store tour that will be held in April.
“We want to support healthy eating and answer questions about the new Food Guide,” Callan said. She explained that when Canada’s Food Guide was being revised, dietitians across the country advocated strongly that it go beyond just a focus on nutrients and what to eat. They also wanted it to emphasize healthy eating habits as well as food literacy, food culture and traditions, food availability and sustainability. “These changes were embraced when the new guide was released in 2019, and Nutrition Month is an opportunity to recognize that how we eat is just as important as what we eat.”
Callan suggested that including these tips in your daily routine can enhance the health benefits of food:
Be mindful of your eating habits
- Take time to eat.
- Notice when you are hungry and when you are full
Cook more often
- Plan what you eat.
- Involve others in planning and preparing meals.
Enjoy your food
- Culture and food traditions are part of healthy eating.
Eat meals with others
- This is a great way to connect, share food traditions, and explore new foods you might not normally try.
Nutrition Month is organized by the Dietitians of Canada each year and celebrated across Canada. Visit www.nutritionmonth2020.ca for more information about Nutrition Month 2020, and follow PPH on social media @Ptbohealth for more Nutrition Month posts.
To have your nutrition questions answered by a Registered Dietitian, call Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. This free service is available 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET Monday to Friday.
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For further information, please contact:
Ashleigh Callan, RD, MSc.AHN, CDE
Peterborough Public Health
705-743-1000, ext. 233