In these times of food insecurity and rising inflation, it’s more important than ever to be savvy when shopping for nutritious and wholesome food. A great variety of food sources are competing for your wallet and when armed with the right knowledge, you can make better decisions and save money, all without compromising food quality.

Before sourcing quality places to shop, research what constitutes a healthy diet. Check out the new Canada Food Guide to learn about nutrition and the best food choices.

Here are five shopping methods with helpful tips for eating well on a budget in the GTA.

1. Supermarket chains

Coupons, coupons, coupons. They are a great way to save money and plan your shopping. It’s easier than ever to collect them today with apps like Flipp, where you can search deals by brand, item and category. The app Flashfood helps you finds discounts and combats food waste. Look for generic products, which are up to 30% cheaper, and stock up when items like meat go on sale. Supermarket trips are good times to carpool with friends, and save on transportation costs.

2. Small grocery stores

Small, local chains and corner stores can be great sources for discounted food such as fruits and veggies. Buy what’s in season and look for deals on produce with small blemishes, as they are often cheaper. If you buy items just before they expire, they are often discounted, and you can cut and freeze them. Buy frozen fruits, veggies, and meat. Frozen food can be highly nutritious and is a good winter option when many local foods are out of season. If you prefer organic, consider that a study out of Stanford University found organic food isn’t always healthier or more nutritious. Do your own research, especially since organic is often more expensive. When comparing similar items, check out the unit price to find the better deal. Small stores are often closer to home, so you can enjoy big savings on transportation.

3. Bulk foods

Bulk stores are great for buying foods that are usually much more expensive at chain stores. The offerings are plentiful – nuts, seeds, dried fruit, coffee beans, oatmeal, rice, spices and the occasional sweet treat. Many of these foods are key ingredients in healthy meals, and keep them flavourful. Buy only what you need to avoid waste, and some bulk stores allow you to bring your own containers. Also bring a calculator and pay attention to the unit cost to ensure you’re getting the best deals.

4. Online shopping

Since the pandemic, online shopping has become popular and can be a great alternative to in-person shopping, depending on your situation. The choice of stores is plentiful and it’s easy to find sale items while relaxing at home with a cup of coffee. Prices tend to be cheaper, but compare carefully. Big savings (and reduced stress) also comes from the time and cost saved by not having to drive and park or take public transit. If you watch grandchildren, live far from stores or don’t have a car, buying groceries online can be a great option, even after factoring in delivery charges.

5. Eating out

Eating well on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a healthy meal out sometimes. The GTA is loaded with affordable eateries spanning a variety of cultures. Check out BlogTO and its list of 100 essential cheap eats to experience a world of cuisine, often for under $10. Homemade food with fresh and healthy ingredients are the order of the day at many spots, allowing you to keep fit and enjoy our multicultural city.

And here are five more quick tips for shopping on budget.

• Shop on a full stomach to reduce impulse buying
• Plan your meals
• Stick to your list
• Make large meals and split them up for time-saving and cost-saving benefits
• Skip prepared foods and pre-cut produce

Don’t forget to join Bright at Home every Wednesday at 3 pm for helpful tips all around the home – only at The Bright Spot!

The choices we make about the foods we eat are an important part of what will keep us healthy in the long run. We eat to provide our bodies energy and give us the vitamins, minerals, protein, fats, water and carbohydrates we need to survive. When we eat what our body needs, we don’t just feel better physically but also mentally.

Protein for muscle development

One of the most important nutrients we need as we age is protein and we often don’t get enough of it. This is because our bodies don’t process it as efficiently, so we might need more protein than we think we do. Protein is essential to healthy muscle development and maintaining bone and skin health.

Breakfast is often overlooked as an opportunity to eat protein-rich food such as eggs. Some studies suggest that spreading out protein consumption and including protein in every meal and snack are key for maintaining muscle in our older years. When we maintain our muscle fitness, we feel confident participating in physical activities.

Nutrient and emotionally rich meals

Preparing meals at home as often as we can means we are more likely to get the nutrients we need to maintain our health. Mindfully planning what we will prepare, shopping for fresh ingredients and sharing a meal can also help our emotional well-being.

If you find it challenging to keep coming up with new ideas for healthy dinners you can make at home, consider asking friends for healthy meal suggestions or explore a new farmers market near you. You may be re-introduced to ingredients you don’t always use such as bright leafy vegetables, berries and other fruits, and whole grains.

At The Bright Spot, we have several programs you may find helpful to support your health journey.

Protect your bones with weight-bearing exercise. Join The Bright Spot’s Weights for Bone Health on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Join Food for Thought every Wednesday if you’re looking for inspiration in the kitchen.

And visit the following links for more information about the importance of eating healthy as we age:

Five ways to increase protein intake as we age

Protein for fitness: Age demands greater protein needs

Eating Well as You Age

Without realizing it, you’ve already visited a place — multiple times — that can protect your brain’s memory power as you age.

The pharmacy? A clinic? No, it’s the grocery store.

As science discovers new links between food and memory function, nutrition has become a promising force in the fight against age-related cognitive decline. The choices you make in supermarket aisles today could help you make easier trips down memory lane when you’re older.

Here’s some of the freshest research on baking better brain health right into your daily meal plan.

Weight gain and brain drain

Obesity could be a red flag for future cognitive decline. A 2020 British study discovered that people who are obese in middle age face a 31 per cent higher risk of dementia later in life. Analyzing their findings, the researchers theorized that being overweight may cause inflammation throughout the body, including the brain.

The U.K. team noted that three other conditions closely linked to obesity — heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes — also occur more frequently in Alzheimer’s patients, with inflammation playing a harmful role in all four conditions.

Berry good news

Berries are chock-full of anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that stimulate the hippocampus, a part of the brain that’s crucial for learning and memory.

In a Harvard experiment, older women who ate at least a half a cup of blueberries or one cup of strawberries per week had a rate of memory decline similar to women two-and-a-half years younger.

Nutty but true 

The idea that just one palmful of snack food per day can slow your brain’s aging process might sound nuts, but scientists say a quarter cup of walnuts per day meets your recommended daily quota for omega-3 fatty acids. These protect the brain from inflammation and aid neurotransmission.

The MIND diet

MIND stands for Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. That’s a mouthful to say, but it’s based on evidence that the food we eat affects our cognitive performance in older age.

MIND combines aspects of two nutritional regimens:

1. The Mediterranean diet — based on foods traditionally consumed in the Mediterranean region — proven to reduce heart disease 
2. DASH — Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension — proven to lower high blood pressure

Since heart disease and hypertension both increase the risk of dementia, doctors believe MIND promotes brain health by incorporating common elements of the DASH and Mediterranean diets. 

Key MIND recommendations include:

• Fish — one serving per week (rich in omega-3 fatty acids that reduce inflammation and promote brain function)
• Poultry — two servings per week (high in choline, essential for memory and other cognitive functions)
• Nuts — five servings per week 
• Whole grains — three or more servings per day (high in folates, which boost memory and reduce inflammation)
• Berries — at least two servings per week 
• Leafy green vegetables — at least six servings per week (rich in folates and antioxidants like vitamin C)
• Other vegetables — at least one serving per day
• Beans — three servings per week (regulate glucose supply to the brain, and are high in folates)
• Extra virgin olive oil (high in antioxidants)
• Wine — one glass per day (red wine in particular can improve cognitive performance)

… and limiting the intake of: 

• Red meat (increases inflammation in the body)
• Butter, cheese and other dairy that’s high in saturated fats (these can raise your risk of heart disease and dementia)
• Pastries, candy and sugary drinks including juice (by boosting blood sugar levels, they increase diabetes and dementia risk)
• Processed and deep-fried foods (high carbs and fatty oils promote inflammation, high cholesterol and diabetes; all increase dementia risk)

Adhering to the MIND diet delayed cognitive decline by five years in one study and lowered the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 53 per cent.

Hungry for more?

That’s a lot of information to digest, but don’t bite off more than you can chew. Make small, gradual adjustments over time. Remember that brain-healthy food requires no prescription, is readily available, can be tailored to your budget and can be immensely enjoyable, especially when shared in a meal with others.

If you’re looking for some inspiration in the kitchen, check out our upcoming classes, including Food for Thought.

At the YMCA of Greater Toronto, we respect and admire the expert advice provided by our partner health charities. That’s why we’re excited to bring you even more great reading material from the team at the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada (Heart and Stroke). In this article, you’ll get tips and tricks to make your next grocery order healthy and fun.

The foods we eat affect our well-being.

Making healthy food choices can help you:

• Reduce your risk of heart disease.
• Improve your cholesterol levels.
• Lower your blood pressure.
• Maintain your healthy body weight.
• Control your blood sugar.

With a little advance planning, you can make healthier choices at the grocery store, in the kitchen, and on the go.

Meal planning is key

Meal planning is important whether you’re cooking for yourself or for a family. By planning ahead, you eat better, save time, and spend less money.

Make meal planning a habit

Try to set aside a specific time each week to write down your meal ideas and grocery list. If you relax with a coffee every Saturday morning, that could be a good time to plan the week’s meals. Plan your meals around a healthy plate, making sure you stock up on vegetables and fruits, whole grains and a variety of protein foods, especially plant-based ones.

Don’t forget to plan for snacks. Once your meal ideas are ready, check your fridge and cupboards to see what you need to buy.

Then update your shopping list.

Another great tip is to always keep paper and a pen in the kitchen. As you run out of ingredients, write them down. Then add them to your shopping list.

8 ways to think outside the box when planning your meals.

The best way to eat healthy is to prepare meals at home using fresh, whole foods. To avoid buying pre-packaged convenience foods, think about what you’d like to eat in the coming days.

1. Variety is the spice of life

• Plan to include vegetables and fruit at each meal and snack.
• Include beans, lentils and other legumes several times a week.
• Stock up on whole grains such as brown rice, whole grain pasta, bulgur, farro, etc.

2. Include quick, healthy meals for those nights when you know you’ll be busier

• Make extra so you have leftovers.
• Make extra soup or lasagna to freeze for easy heat-and-serve meals.
• Repurpose your leftovers into a whole new meal. Leftover spaghetti sauce can become minestrone soup, meatloaf, or pizza sauce.

3. Get inspired by the season

• If salmon, tomatoes or rhubarb is in season, seek out recipes with those ingredients.

4. If you can, try to buy local

• It’s often fresher than food that comes from far away — and you’re supporting local farmers and families, too!

5. Food that is less processed is more nutritious

• Pre-made or pre-packaged convenience foods may be handy, but they are often high in fat, salt, sugar, and calories. If you must eat packaged foods, check the Nutrition Facts label and watch your serving size.

6. If you follow a special diet, try to focus on what you can eat, not what you can’t eat

• If you are gluten-free, for example, there are many naturally wheat-free grains, beans and lentils, and produce. As well, you can enjoy modified bread and pasta.

7. Include snacks on your list to reduce temptation once you’re at the grocery store

• Healthy snacks might include nuts, baby carrots and hummus, roasted chickpeas, hard-cooked eggs, tuna and whole-grain crackers, air-popped popcorn and whole-grain crackers with lower-fat, lower-sodium cheese.

8. If you have a family, get them involved in the meal planning

• Keep a running list of meals your family enjoys, and get everyone to participate with their favourites.

Shopping tips for healthy food

Grocery shopping is an important part of healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle. The key is to be prepared before you go, and know how to navigate the grocery store once you get there. If you prefer online shopping over the traditional visit to the store, these tips apply in the virtual world as well.

Eat something before you shop so you aren’t tempted by snack foods at the store

If you’re going into the store, take some time to familiarize yourself with the layout

Vegetables, fruit, bread, tofu, meat, fish and dairy will usually be in the outside aisles.

Whole grains, lentils, beans and oils will usually be in the inside aisles. That’s where you will often find frozen and canned vegetables and fruit, too.

Read the packaging

All packaged foods have a Nutrition Facts table. Use it to choose food that’s lower in salt, sugar, and saturated fat. Look for the percent daily value on the right-hand side of the Nutrition facts table. It shows you if the serving size has a little or a lot of a nutrient.

5% DV (Daily Value) or less is a little

15% DV (Daily Value) or more is a lot

Prepare your produce
Wash and cut some of your vegetables and fruit so they’re ready for snacking.

Celery, cucumbers, carrots, peppers, grape tomatoes, and snap peas are great on their own or with a low-fat dip, hummus, peanut butter, or salsa.

To wash or not to wash before you put your produce away?
Cold, clean tap water is just fine for washing fruits and vegetables but the choice to wash before you store, or once you’re ready to use it really comes down to the produce in question:

Leafy greens: salad, spinach, cabbage, green onions. Wash when you get home from the store. Then wrap in a paper towel and store in a plastic bag or sealed container in the fridge. This way, they’re ready to use and they’ll last longer.

Food with a rind or thick peel: oranges, cantaloupes, melons, carrots, and potatoes. Wash before eating/cooking and if you have a produce brush, give them a little scrub. This removes bacteria on the rind or skin so it doesn’t get in the food when it’s cut or peeled.

Mushrooms: Don’t wash. Wipe them with a clean cloth just before using. They keep best when stored in a paper bag in the fridge.

Berries: strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Wash just before eating otherwise they spoil very quickly. 

Be prepared

Divide your snack food (crackers, nuts) into individual, ready-to-eat servings. When making a snacking choice, be careful with nuts and seeds. They’re tasty and it’s easy to over-do it. Opt for raw or dry roasted nuts without the added salt, rather than roasted in oil.

As we enter the coldest winter months of the year and another round of COVID restrictions take hold in our province, it could be tempting to use food as a way to manage difficult emotions and stress. But it doesn’t have to be this way!

We have some great tips from our partners at the Heart and Stroke Foundation about how to keep your relationship with food healthy and happy as we navigate the next few months together!

The emotional-weight connection

Emotional eating is a coping mechanism that some people use to soothe stress, fear, anger, boredom and loneliness. Sometimes, emotions get so linked to eating habits that you reach for comfort food without realizing it.

If you’re an emotional eater, you’ve likely learned that relief from food doesn’t last long. This habit can cause weight gain over time, especially if your go-to foods are high in calories, sugar and fat — and they usually are.

Excess weight can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and other chronic disease — not to mention adding to the stress you’re feeling.

Mindful eating

If you’re eating for reasons other than hunger, it’s time to retrain your habits. Mindful eating is a technique that dietitians use with clients to help curb emotional eating. It involves deliberately paying attention to your food choices, and being aware of what is happening in your body and mind.

Mindfulness teaches you to focus on your emotional and physical responses before, during and after eating, without judging yourself. You should experience meals with all of your senses, so you truly see, taste, hear, smell and feel your food. It removes guilt associated with food choices, and lets you focus on what being hungry and full really feel like.

Studies show that mindful eating techniques can you help curb binge eating, stop impulsive food choices, stop rewarding yourself with food, control weight and reduce body mass index.

Get started

You can learn to refocus your eating patterns. Consider getting help from a dietitian and/or a psychologist who specializes in mindful eating. Meanwhile here are some tips to get you started:

• Write it down. Start a food and mood journal, to keep track of what and how much you eat, and how you’re feeling when you eat. Look for patterns to see the connection between your mood and food cravings.
• Break the cycle. If you identify a negative pattern, take steps to change it. Maybe you can substitute healthier alternatives to replace junk food, or reduce portion sizes. Or, take a walk when a craving hits to distract yourself from temptation.
• Ditch the distractions. When you’re eating, turn off all screens and focus on your food – how it tastes, smells and looks. Enjoy every bite and pay attention to your fullness cues.
• Rate, then bite. Before you reach for a snack, take a second to rate your hunger on a 1-5 scale. Are you really hungry, or just bored? Start with a glass of water — sometimes thirst masquerades as hunger. After a few minutes, if you’re still hungry, enjoy your food.
• Go slow. Set small goals to change your behaviour. For example, start by eating meals at a table, rather than while on the go. Or, put down your fork between bites to take time to savour your food. Changing longstanding habits takes time and commitment.

With some practice, mindful eating can help you find the joy in food and learn to listen to — and love — your body.

At the YMCA of Greater Toronto, we respect and admire the expert advice provided by our partner health charities. That’s why we’re excited to bring you even more great reading material from the team at The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Try this delicious heart-healthy recipe that is the perfect way to warm up this winter season!

Change up the way you serve up your potatoes and squash by bringing them together in this easy roasted dish.

4-6 servings / 35 min

Prep 15 min / Cook 20 min 

Ingredients

3 cups (750 mL) chopped butternut squash

2 large plum tomatoes, chopped

1 pkg (500 g) potato gnocchi

1 onion, sliced

2 tbsp (25 mL) sodium-reduced vegetable broth

1 tbsp (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 tsp (5 mL) each chopped fresh thyme and sage leaves

1/4 tsp (1 mL) hot pepper flakes

1/4 cup (50 mL) fresh grated parmesan cheese

2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh parsley

Directions

In a large bowl, toss together squash, tomatoes, gnocchi and onion.

In a small bowl, stir together broth, oil, garlic, thyme, sage and hot pepper flakes. Pour over squash mixture and toss well to coat evenly.

Spread mixture onto parchment paper lined baking sheet in a single layer. Roast in preheated 450 degrees F (232 degrees C) oven for 12 minutes. Using a flat spatula, flip gnocchi mixture over and continue to roast for about 10 minutes or until golden and squash is tender.

Scrape into serving bowl and toss with cheese and parsley to serve.

Tip: The hot pepper flakes add a little zip to this dish. If you are not a fan of heat or spice, simply reduce the hot pepper flakes to a pinch.

Nutritional info per serving (¼  of recipe)

Calories: 321

Protein: 11 g

Total fat: 6 g
Saturated fat: 1.5 g
Cholesterol: 6 mg

Carbohydrates: 64 g 
Fibre: 4 g
Sugars: 6 g
Added sugars: 0 g

Sodium: 384 mg

Potassium: 994 mg

Recipe developed by Emily Richards, PH Ec. ©Heart and Stroke Foundation 2018.

 

Here at The YMCA of Greater Toronto, we respect and admire the expert advice provided by our partners at The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. That’s why we’re excited to bring you even more great reading material written by the team at this other health-focused charity! In this next piece, Cara Rosenbloom, Heart and Stroke’s Registered Dietitian, talks about simple ways to integrate healthy eating habits into your life.

First, the good news. Regardless of your gender, age, height, or weight, you can make an effort to eat well and exercise.

Now, the bad news. If you’re fixated solely on the number on the scale, you’re setting yourself up to fail — and missing an opportunity to do something great for your heart and overall health.

But we’re about to change all of that.

Here are three things you can do to build a healthier relationship with food and set yourself on track for better health.

Adopt a new mindset

Have you ever tried a diet? You know, one of those plans that requires you to cut carbs or subsist on cabbage soup for weeks? Sometimes they work in the short term and you lose weight, but they are not always sustainable and don’t always result in long-term success. That’s especially true if the diet you choose:

• Is a huge departure from how you normally eat
• Cuts out a lot of foods you enjoy, so you feel deprived and need to “cheat”
• Is prohibitively expensive, requiring special food or supplements
• Lacks variety, so you get bored
• Doesn’t include physical activity, which is crucial for good health
• Makes you obsessively track calories or pounds lost

Adopting the right mindset takes you out of a diet mentality and leads you to make sustainable changes to build a healthy lifestyle. There’s no deprivation or calorie counting — but there is lots of variety and delicious wholesome food.

Set the right goals

Weight fluctuates, so stepping on the scale daily can be a recipe for disappointment. And a goal such as “I will lose five pounds in a week” leaves you with little control over achieving that exact number. There are much better ways to mark your progress when you make healthy lifestyle changes. Set a goal that you can control such as:

• I will replace pop with water every day this week
• I will walk 10 minutes at a time until I reach 150 minutes per week
• I will have one extra serving of vegetables every day this week
• I will replace white bread with whole grain when I eat sandwiches or toast

These are small, sustainable changes, and they can add up slowly over time. Start with one, and add a new goal once you feel that you’ve successfully migrated the first goal into your new healthy lifestyle — then keep going.

Build your healthy eating plan

Instead of a limited, restrictive diet that focuses on what you can’t eat, your meal plan should let you make healthier food choices for the long term. Remember: unlike diets, a healthy meal plan isn’t one-size-fits all and should fit your personal lifestyle and goals. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind when building your plan.

• Strike a balance
  Begin by focusing on your plate. At each meal, try filling half with vegetables and some fruit; a quarter with protein sources such as fish, poultry, eggs, tofu, or beans; and the remaining quarter with grains (preferably whole grains), such as brown rice or quinoa.
• Get real
  Aim to eat fresh, whole, unprocessed food more often than you’re eating take-out or processed food. This “real” food is filled with the nutrients your body needs — fibre, vitamins, minerals, protein, and healthy fats.
• Limit ultra-processed foods
  Ultra-processed foods such as deli meat, soda, chips, fries, cookies, cakes, and candy currently make up about half (48%) of the calories Canadians eat each day. They’re high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats (like trans fats). Ultra-processed foodshave been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and more. Cutting back on these foods makes a big difference to your overall health. And you may just lose some weight in the process, even if it’s not your specified goal.

Now for the best part: this eating plan can help reduce your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, high blood pressure, and some types of cancer. It can also help you reach a healthy weight for your body type.