March 2011 - Special Article

Dietitians Promote Canadian Food Production, Food Skills and Family Mealtimes for 2011 Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month, and this year’s theme is “Celebrate food... from field to table!” This theme includes key messaging about local and Canadian food production, as well as the importance of food skills and family mealtimes.

Supporting local and Canadian food production is important for a number of reasons. Foods grown closer to home have travelled a shorter distance, helping them retain more nutrients. They often use less packaging which means less garbage in our landfills, and travel fewer kilometers which means a lower consumption of fossil fuels. Choosing local products also keeps dollars circulating in our local economy, and helps keep Canadian farms viable. However, recognizing the importance of choosing local and Canadian food products is one thing; knowing how to prepare these foods is another.

Many factors have contributed to a decrease in food skills over the past several decades, including families having two working parents, an increased availability of prepared convenience foods, and less emphasis on the importance of developing food skills as a life skill. Elementary and secondary schools do not provide instruction and food skill development opportunities in their required curricula, and few students take a food and nutrition elective in high school. In addition, fewer families emphasize the importance of learning even basic food preparation skills. For these reasons, individuals are consuming more prepared foods than ever before.

Negative health consequences are associated with a diet high in saturated fat, sodium and refined carbohydrates, ingredients that tend to be present in many processed, prepared convenience foods. For example, 77% of dietary sodium in Canada comes from processed food products, and average sodium intakes are double what is recommended. The sodium intakes of Canadians would be lower overall if more meals were prepared from scratch, using fewer processed, high sodium foods. In addition, the consumption of processed, convenience foods often displaces whole foods that provide optimal nutrition in the diet, such as vegetables and fruit, whole grains, milk products and lean meats and alternatives. Food skills are fundamental for optimal health through the ability to prepare whole foods with maximum nutritional value.

Skills are a necessary precursor for behaviour change by providing the ability and confidence to make a change to one’s lifestyle. Skill development in the areas of food skills and healthy eating are required to be addressed by health units as per the 2008 Ontario Public Health Standards Chronic Disease Prevention Requirement #8.

It is important to note that food skills go beyond just basic food preparation. According to the Region of Waterloo (2010), food skills include:

  • Knowledge about food, nutrition and cooking;
  • Planning for healthy meals, and for including children to develop their food skills;
  • Conceptualizing outcomes, like adjusting recipes and using leftovers;
  • Mechanical techniques for food preparation such as using a knife safely and effectively, and different ways to cook foods to maximize nutrition and taste;
  • Perception of food characteristics, like taste, texture and when food is properly cooked.

Food skills are linked to family mealtimes in that the whole family can be involved in meal preparation. Getting the whole family involved is important for many reasons, including the transfer of knowledge and skills between generations, ensuring children and youth develop a comfort level in the kitchen, and helping with picky eaters, as children are more likely to eat what they help to prepare. Children are able to participate in age appropriate tasks, such as tossing a salad, assisting with adding ingredients or setting the table. Youth should have at least basic food skills, especially since many will be living independently after high school and will need to know how to prepare their own meals.

Research suggests that families who eat together eat better, and that children and youth who eat regular meals together with their families have lower rates of substance misuse and disordered eating. In addition, family mealtimes promote a feeling of family togetherness and provide time for conversation. However, in our society, many families do not eat meals together. It is common for families to eat in front of the television, or for family members to be in different rooms while eating. Preparing meals as a family and sitting down to enjoy them together provides an opportunity for families to spend quality time together. When the meal is ready, do your best to provide a positive, stress free environment for your family to enjoy the meal, such as setting the table, turning off the television, taking time to focus on each other without interruptions, and create some traditions for celebration as well as regular routines.

During the month of March, make a point of preparing meals with your family or loved ones and see how rewarding it can be. Take turns choosing recipes to prepare, assign tasks for all to participate in the preparation and clean up, and sit down to enjoy the meal together. Hopefully it will turn into a behaviour that continues after Nutrition Month!

 

Nutrition Month Websites

Additional Food Skills Information