HEALTHY FOOD MATTERS
It’s all about balance
VEGETABLES
MILK/
FORTIFIED
SOY
BEVERAGE
(at least 2 kinds)
GRAINS &
STARCHES
(potato, rice,
corn, pasta)
MEAT &
ALTERNATIVES
(fish, lean meat,
chicken, beans,
lentils)
FRUIT
If tracking food guide servings seems complicated, follow this healthy plate
approach as a guide to proper proportions.
Reality check: Canadian children ages 9 to 13 years are getting a whopping
57% of their calories from ultra-processed foods such as: doughnuts, pop, salty
snacks, candy bars, ice cream, French fries and frozen pizza.*
The result? Children may get too much sodium and added sugar, and fall short
of key nutrients such as protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins.
Make sure kids get enough iron from foods such as meats, legumes, leafy
greens and fortified grain products. Not enough iron can leave a child feeling
tired and irritable, making it harder for them to keep up with a rigorous
training schedule. Iron from meats are the most readily absorbed.
*Ultra-processed foods in Canada: consumption, impact on diet quality and policy implications, December 2017, Heart and Stroke
Foundation of Canada