Getting Started! 10 Healthy Eating Changes

Incorporating healthy eating is easier than you think. Try these 10 healthy eating changes to jump-start a healthy diet for your young athlete and the entire family.

Instead Of...	Try this Healthy Eating Change...
Using food as a reward for good behaviour, to calm your young athlete, or to coerce him/her to do something.	Reward with verbal praise or a hug. Start a “gold star” behaviour chart and reward with a visit to the movies or a trip to a favourite playground.
Allowing your young athlete to eat and access food whenever and wherever he/she wants throughout the day.	Control access by having structured meal and snack times. Aim to eat every 3 to 4 hours. Any longer will cause hunger, which increases sweet cravings and overeating.
Preparing and eating meat every day.	Have plant sources of protein such as beans, lentils and tofu often. These foods provide a boost of fibre, less saturated fats, and other nutrients.
Shopping for groceries when you run out, without a shopping list or meal plan.	Develop a daily meal schedule for your family. This will save you time and money. Create a grocery shopping list that complements the plan and stick to it, shopping regularly.
Buying foods that seem the quickest to prepare.	Read the nutrition information on packaged food before you buy them. Look at the Nutrition Facts table and at the ingredient list.
Making the same meals over and over again, which may create boredom and discourage variety.	Try a new recipe every 2 weeks. Start by using the recipes found in this guide. There are thousands of free recipes online as well as cookbooks with nutrient-dense, easy-toprepare, delicious meals.
Not including the young athlete in grocery shopping or meal preparation.	Have your young athlete actively help you grocery shop and prepare meals. Not only will this help to focus behavior, it teaches valuable skills and knowledge of healthy eating, which can help increase independence in adulthood.
Stocking your fridge with an endless variety of beverage choices.	Switch to water and milk as your primary fluid choices. Some juices, sport drinks, and colas may have excess sugar and caffeine and can contribute to dental cavities and extra calories.
Serving adult size portions and reprimanding the young athlete if he/she does not finish the entire plate of food.	Follow Canada’s Food Guide plate model. Educate on the importance on each part of the plate. Allow her/him to eat until he/she feels full. Children are often great self-regulators of appetite. Remember that young athletes who are tired or who have just exercised hard may not feel like eating right away.
Giving up on a food if your young athlete initially refuses to eat it or not letting him try a new food.	Don’t give up on certain foods. Palates and tastes change with time. Try serving the food at a different temperature, with different sauces or spices, and at different meals. Reinforce and reward when he/she makes an effort to try something new!