BY JUDY WALKER
Special to Alberni Valley News
Nutritional literacy, or food literacy, refers to a basic set of abilities needed to understand the importance of good nutrition in maintaining health. Finding a healthy balance of protien, carbs and fat and knowing the recommended amounts of vitimins, minerals, fibre and their sources is a good start.
There is a lot of valuable information on the Canada Food Guides website. Don’t be overwhelmed by the numbers, basic knowledge and common sense go a long way. Being an informed consumer is also important. Read the nutritional info and ingredient lists on packaged foods and learn how to analyze them ( don’t forget your reading glasses!). This knowledge combined with some basic cooking skills and you are armed to forge a positive relationship with food for life.
Research shows that giving kids the nutrition they need improves grades and motivation and counters obesity and disease. Getting kids involved in planning, preparing and sharing meals is a good foundation for a healthy lifestyle. Cooking together as a family can be a fun and bonding experience, it is a great opportunity for older generations to pass on their recipes and stories to the young people in their family and community.
Family trips to a farmers or farmgate market, a fish hatchery, or berry picking are great ways to get all ages engaged and motivated about local food. Grow a few herbs or veggies in pots or in your garden and get the kids involved. Canning or freezing our amazing local bounty at it’s peak season (salmon, blueberries and corn are my favourites) can be another family project resulting in delicious nutritious meals.
In our Cooking for Life class at Literacy Alberni my aim is to make healthy food fun. We have learners of all ages come together to learn basic cooking skills, prepare and share a meal. We work with fresh ingredients and chop, bake, roast, simmer and saute. I present information about the ingredients and procedures we are using. There are usually a few mistakes and lots of laughs. We then sit down and share our creations, discuss the results and what was learned.
Some of my most enthusiastic learners have been the kids; it is a joy watching their excitement over learning new skills and their pride when they create something delicious to share.
Cooking is a life skill that we should all have. Nutritional knowledge and how to use it is another tool to use in making positive choices. Feel good about the food you and your family eat. Make it nutritious, delicious and fun!