The Way We Eat

Thanks for the food memories

For me, it’s about the memories that surround food.

The harvest table we sat around as a family growing up, where we met each night to talk about our day, listen to the corny jokes Dad got from Ontario Farmer that week and just have time to be a family together.

This is what I treasure most about food. The nutrition it gives me is secondary. As I learned in my internship placements and am reminded by my patients daily – people eat food not nutrients. That’s where dietitians come in and perhaps why I was so interested in this project.

In some ways, this personal connection we have with food makes it that much harder to change the habits surrounding it. I am amazed at the families’ commitment and also their courage in putting themselves out there to move toward a healthier lifestyle.

Their enthusiasm and willingness to be open to suggestions offered from not only the experts, but also from each other, has made the project so successful. It’s been a pleasure to be part of such a unique and original project.

Hopefully the hard work put forth by all the families in this project will inspire others to take the first step on their own journey to good health and family mealtime memories.

-Beth Charlton, Hamilton Family Health Team

Agnes Gizard: Guiding my family

Being involved in the nutrition makeover feels like learning how to walk: You want to do it but it seems impossible at first. I wanted to eat more healthily but I didn’t know how to start.

Then making changes requires a little self-discipline because some are difficult, in particular if those changes involve cooking, shopping or planning.

But then when you can walk on your own, “the sky is the limit.” I feel a little sad to lose the support, but proud to have learned and made some changes.

You probably wonder what has changed and what changes will remain with me?

Diets don’t work. They are temporary solutions. What really works are the little changes you make everyday, like choosing milk in your coffee rather than cream or adding fruit to your breakfast, lunch and supper so you will eat  three more fruits in a day.

Adding to your diet rather than subtracting is a more pleasant choice. I don’t know if I have lost weight, but I know I feel much better and resourceful to guide my family on a healthy path.

— Agnés Gizard

“Kids, this is what’s for dinner tonight!”

As the primary "chef" in the house I, surprisingly, have enjoyed watching the kids try new foods, which I never thought would happen.

Thanks for the encouragement, Beth (Beth Charlton of Hamilton FamilyHealth Team)!

Start with telling your kids, “This is what’s for dinner tonight,” she advised me, adding that I would have to stand firm when they balk.

Even though I still may get the "I am not eating this," I am not giving up.

One day, they may just like it!

We are also spending more time together in the kitchen. We have always enjoyed cooking and baking, but we have just increase the amount of time in the kitchen. The kids love it. Our lunches have become a family event, as opposed to just me. The kids help plan and pack - even for Daddy!

It gets noisy and messy, but it is all good!

— Jennifer O'Connor

N.B. students take up The Way We Eat

When Riba Riordon assigned The Way We Eat series to her nutrition class, her students dubbed the project “desperate housewives.”

“I told them to have fun with it and learn from this package,” Riordon said in a phone interview from Bathurst High School in Bathurst, N.B.

She learned of the series from fellow teacher Brian Neumann, father of one of the series’ registered dietitians, Suzanne Neumann.

Riordon asked students to choose one of the makeover families and analyze its meals. They chose Kirsten Ulrich’s story.

“The kids kind of identified with that story,” Riordon said. “They could feel for that woman. She’s a nurse, she knows better. But she’s a single mom, she comes home dead tired, and she wants to take better care of her kids.”

Riordon’s students’ summary of the series’ lessons includes the following:

- Don’t be ignorant of the nutritional information around you. If you wish to change your habits, allow yourself to learn how.

- Eating meals together at the table more often promotes family bonding and conversations.

- There is always a way to get back on track. It’s a matter of taking small steps at a time.

“Now we all want to know how the makeover turns out,” Riordon said.

-By Florence Sicoli

Are paper plates 'selfish?'

In response to the reader who suggested "No paper plates, please" (April 24, The Way We Eat), I am under the impression that paper plates no longer "carry a large environmental burden” since the green bin program.

As I understand, anything in the green bin is collected and converted into compost and biogas, a renewable energy source. The materials are turned into compost that can be used for landscaping, gardening, and potting soil, etc. The benefits of this are widely recognized and also helps reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills.

I assure you I don’t have time to be lazy. Instead I have taught my children (five and three years old) to place paper plates in the green bin and not in the garbage. I spend a lot of time and effort recycling in my home. I am very conscious of the products I purchase and using paper plates made from recycled materials for the occasional family breakfast is helpful and allows me to spend more quality time with my three children.
Help me out --- is this selfish?

Obviously washing and reusing dishes is environmentally friendly but is it not environmentally friendly to use the green bin?

— Antonella Leone

Kirsten: I'm proud of myself

I’m proud of myself for several reason. I’m proud that I no longer have to keep the fire extinguisher beside the stove while I cook. I’m proud that I’ve graduated to two pot meals (and only burn one!).
I’m proud that my dishwasher and stove have survived the onslaught after having so many years of nothing to do.

But mostly, I’m proud that I haven’t given anyone food poisoning … yet.

It’s amazing to me that potentially thousands of people have been following the journey of our family. Public humiliation sure is a great motivator! I go into my regular McDonald’s only to have the staff raise an eyebrow over what’s on my tray.

“Are you allowed to have that?” they ask accusingly.

“It’s only a diet Coke people … settle down!” I growl as I slink out and return to the safety of my car.

So, with all of the money I’ve saved on fast food, maybe I’ll pay a chef to come cook for us instead! Or would that defeat the purpose of this whole thing?

I’m going to miss everyone involved in the project. Thanks to all of you for your support through these crazy days.

I’ll use the old cliché – If I can do it, anyone can. So if you’re out there wondering if you have what it takes to make the changes necessary – just look at your kids and think of the gift you would be giving them.

The family nutrition makeover project may be over, but my project is far from complete. I still have a lifetime of healthy eating to go… Cheers!

Kirsten Ulrich

Planting the seeds by Susan Bird

Watching the changes unfold in the Ulrichs’ makeover reminds me of growing up in the country with a small family and a big garden.

I detested vegetables and I resented the wholesome lunches my mother diligently packed while I pined for chocolate snack cake. Despite my protests, my parents continued to provide me good food.

When I moved out to go to university, my mom sent me off with a box of vegetables from the garden. I was feeling miserable with guilt as I unpacked the prickly little cucumbers and plump tomatoes because I was sure I would waste the food.

Reluctantly, I chopped the vegetables and buried them in my sandwich. What followed was an unexpected wave of nostalgia and happiness. The food tasted SO good — and I felt less homesick.

My parents couldn’t change me then, but I’m glad they planted the seeds.

— Susan Bird, registered dietitian, Hamilton Family Health Team

Suzanne Neumann: The courage to cook

I remember when my idea of cooking a gourmet meal was heating up a can of tomato soup and making grilled cheese.

I had it down to a science: two slices of bread and one cheese slice under the broiler for three minutes on one side, one minute on the other.

The family makeover cooking classes reminded me of this time of lacking culinary skill—the days of soggy rice, microwave popcorn, and many-a-flambé.

My family can attest to some of the horrors produced during my early cooking attempts, one of which included double bagging the concoction and opening all the house windows. Dare I refresh that memory?

Watching the families learn new skills in the kitchen brought back the memory of how difficult and daunting the idea of preparing food was as a newbie cook.

So many techniques, new terms, weird devices … plus you throw knives and fire into the mix and the kitchen is a scary place!

But the evening also reinforced how fun the kitchen can be. It was a blast to gather together, share some laughs, tell some stories, all the while learning important life skills and making delicious edibles.

I was so impressed with everyone’s willingness to throw caution to the ceiling fan, tie on the apron, and rise to the cooking challenge.

Even more, I was impressed with the families’ courage to bring this challenge into their own kitchen, with both the adult and kids taking the plunge into the soapy sink. I’m looking forward to what the end of project potluck will bring.

Kirsten: Kids complain about eating ‘real food’

Wow… more than half way through our adventure … hard to believe. I’m thrilled with how far we’ve come as a family.

Megan asks me what’s for dinner every morning, and actually seems disappointed if it’s going to be fast food.

Matthew seems to have accepted that I am – and I quote – “being mean” by making him eat “real food.” Yes, such a bad, bad mommy. Maybe Ronald McDonald will have me thrown in jail …

I finally went shopping and bought some kitchen appliances. And not just pretty ones that look great on the counter, but ones I’ll really use!

Plus, I figured an entire set of measuring cups would come in handy, instead of doing everything with just the quarter-cup one. Tired of doing the math.

And the first degree burn on my hand is beginning to heal. Note to self: Splurge on a pair of oven mitts.

But so far the best moment has come at work. At the Supermarket Safari, Megan was introduced to starfruit by our amazing dietitian, Susan (Bird of Hamilton Family Health Team). Megan thinks starfruit tastes like grape popsicle! Now, on my weekly supermarket trip, I have strict instructions to buy one or two.

One day, I took one into work with me to let my fellow nurses try it too. As we sat eating our lunches, I cut one up and passed it around the table to several skeptical faces. Everyone was silent as they munched their little piece of yellow fruit, when one of my very supportive colleagues, Sarah, suddenly blurted out:
“What is wrong with this picture? Kirsten is teaching us about fruit!”

Agnes: No limits on fruit

Hello, again, everybody. A few weeks have passed since my family’s first blog posting, and you probably are wondering how we are surviving the “challenge.”

Our experience is fantastic. This makeover has been an eyeopener in terms of our lifestyle and eating habits. And it has encouraged some clean up in our food cupboards. Oh, yes, we had to clean out the cupboards.

Little wonder because I have some spices that I brought back from France and that expired four years ago. So I will keep them for emotional reasons and not for culinary use.

The outcome of our “cupboard investigation” was very conclusive. We don’t have any more cookies in the house.

We cannot blame the children — Cedric, 12, Kaywan, 10, and Naomi, 4 — for eating junk food if there is none at home.

Instead, we’ll encourage the children to have a fruit or a yoghourt.