Taking care of what counts
Diet at work
Healthy eating isn't that difficult. Making simple changes to your lunchbox and selecting healthier options from restaurant menus and vending machines can make a huge difference to the quality of your diet. Here are a few tips to help you weigh in on "healthy" options at work.
Lunch boxes
Make sure that your lunch contains at least one food from each of Canada's Food Guide food groups:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Grain products
- Milk and substitutes
- Meat and substitutes
Here is an example of a simple healthy lunch box: An egg sandwich on brown bread (grain products, meat and substitutes), vegetable juice or sticks (fruits and vegetables), yogurt for dessert (milk and substitutes), a bottle of water to keep hydrated and fruit for a snack, if needed.
Here are some food ideas to have on hand:
- Canned fruit
- Vegetable sticks
- Fruit conserves
- Canned tuna or salmon
- Eggs
- Whole grain crackers
- Vegetable or tomato juice
- Whole grain bars
- Yogurt and cheese
For sandwich lovers, you can always use whole grain tortillas, bagels or English muffins instead of your regular bread.
To find out more, visit:
Canada’s Food Guide
Eating out? Make healthy choices
It's fun to take the time to eat out with work colleagues and socialize a bit! But sometimes it's hard to find healthy choices on the menu. Here are some tips for healthy eating in a restaurant:
- Order small portions.
- Replace fries with a salad, with dressing on the side so that you can decide how much to put on.
- Choose items on the à la carte menu to avoid the generous portions of the specials.
- Order a fruit salad or yogurt instead of cake for dessert.
Pour en savoir plus :
Canadian Living
Manitoba Healthy Eating
Vending machines
It's three p.m. and you have a craving. There is vending machine close by. How can you make a healthy choice? Here is a short list to guide your choice:
- Choose high fibre, unsweetened crackers
- Choose water or pure fruit juice rather than carbonated drinks
- Opt for baked chips
- Select chocolate with 70% or more cocoa content
- Choose a sandwich on brown bread
Does the vending machine at your workplace contain few or no healthy food choices? Ask your employer to make the appropriate changes!
Coffee break
According to Health Canada, healthy adults should limit themselves to 400 mg of caffeine per day, which is the equivalent of approximately three 250 ml (8 oz) cups of coffee per day.* Here is a chart indicating the caffeine content of various drinks:
* Source: Health Canada
Here are some tips for reducing your caffeine consumption:
- Drink decaffeinated coffee or tea.
- Drink lattes made with skim milk.
- Don't steep your tea for very long.
- Opt for unsweetened carbonated drinks with no caffeine
To find out more, visit:
Health Canada
Labels: How to understand them
When you buy a food product, the list of ingredients and nutritional values are listed on the packaging. This information is important because it allows you, among other things, to:
- Compare various products
- Monitor your daily intake for a specific nutrient
- Make healthy choices from the vending machine
To find out more, visit:
Health Canada
Heart and Stroke Foundation
Daily hydration
It is important to be properly hydrated every day so your body can function effectively. In addition to the water contained in the food you eat, it is recommended that you drink 2 to 3 litres of liquids per day. Liquids can include water, juice, milk, tea, coffee, herbal tea, etc.
- Water is obviously the best choice as it hydrates without adding calories.
- Pure fruit juice is a must. Avoid drinking fruit-flavoured drinks.
- Milk promotes hydration while also providing proteins, calcium and
Vitamin D. - Coffee and tea should be limited to the daily recommended limit of three 250 ml or
8 oz cups of coffee per day.*
To find out more, visit:
Canada Food Guide
* Source : Health Canada
Healthy snacks
Snacks are good for helping you make it to the next meal. The ideal snack combines portions of carbohydrates and proteins.
Here are some examples of healthy snacks:
- 1 apple (carbohydrates) and 2 tablespoons of almonds (proteins)
- Vegetable sticks (carbohydrates) and a piece of cheese about the size of 2 fingers (proteins)
- Half a whole wheat bagel (carbohydrates) and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter (proteins)
To find out more, visit:
Health Canada
Healthy Link BC
