1. Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide
Welcome to this presentation on Canada’s Food Guide.

2. Canada’s Food Guide Defines and Promotes Healthy Eating for Canadians
It translates the science of nutrition and health into a a healthy eating pattern
It emphasizes the importance of combining healthy eating and physical activity
By following Canada’s Food Guide, Canadians will be able to meet their nutrient needs and reduce their risk of obesity and chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancer, and osteoporosis.

3. This Presentation will Give You Information on:
What amount of food you need:
Servings per day
What is a serving
What type of food to choose, and
The importance of physical activity
This presentation on Canada’s Food Guide will help you to find out:
How much food you need by showing you:
What is the recommended number of Food Guide Servings per day according to age and gender
What is one Food Guide Serving
What type of foods are best for you by providing tips on making wise food choices in each food group.
Including physical activity in your day is also important. Eating well and being active work together.

4. Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide
Rainbow
Background image
Now we’re going to go through each page of the Food Guide starting with the cover.
Note to presenter: Instruct participants to follow along if a copy has been provided.
The rainbow design helps communicate Canada’s Food Guide recommendations. The different sizes of the arcs in the rainbow represent the proportion of each of the four food groups that is recommended for healthy eating. The Vegetables and Fruit food group is the most prominent arc, emphasizing the important role these foods play.
The background image helps connect foods with their origin.
The pictures of the foods reflect the types of foods to include for health that are popular and that represent choices made by the largest multicultural groups in Canada.

5. Meet your needs for vitamins, minerals and other nutrients
Having the Amount and Type of Food Recommended and Following the Tips in Canada’s Food Guide will help:
Meet your needs for vitamins, minerals and other nutrients
Reduce your risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancer and osteoporosis
Contribute to your overall health and vitality
Having the amount and type of food recommended and following the tips in Canada’s Food Guide will help:
Meet your needs for vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
Reduce your risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancer and osteoporosis.
Contribute to your overall health and vitality.

6. The Information Inside the Food Guide
The three inside panels of Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide work together to provide you with information on the amount and type of food recommended:
The first two panels, titled Number of Recommended Food Guide Servings per Day and What is a Food Guide Serving? provide information on the amount of food to eat from the four food groups and added oils and fats
The third panel, titled Make Each Food Guide Serving Count, provides tips on the type of food choices to make from each of the four food groups.

7. What Amount of Food do You Need?
Let’s take a look at the Recommended Number of Food Guide Servings chart. It shows how much food you need from each of the four food groups every day. The recommendations are based on your age and gender.
For example, a woman aged years needs:
7-8 Food Guide Servings of Vegetables and Fruit
6-7 Food Guide Servings of Grain Products
2 Food Guide Servings of Milk and Alternatives
2 Food Guide Servings of Meat and Alternatives

8. What is one Food Guide Serving?
A reference amount
Not necessarily what you would eat in one sitting
A number of ways are used to illustrate a “Food Guide Serving”
What is a Food Guide Serving?
It is simply a reference amount. It is a consistent measure to compare how much you eat to what is recommended in Canada’s Food Guide. It is meant to help you understand how much food is recommended every day from each of the four food groups.
In some cases, a Food Guide Serving may be close to what you typically eat in one sitting, such as an apple. In other cases, such as rice or pasta, you may serve yourself more than one Food Guide Serving.
Question: If you were to eat 2 cups of cooked pasta or rice, how many Food Guide Servings would that be?
Answer: Two cups of pasta equals 4 Food Guide Servings (4 times the ½ cup Food Guide Serving) of Grain Products
A number of ways are used to illustrate a “Food Guide Serving”. Food images portray one Food Guide Serving whenever possible. Specific amounts indicated (in metric and imperial measures) and the illustration of a measuring cup where appropriate to help demonstrate the amount of one Food Guide Serving.

9. One Food Guide Serving of Vegetables and Fruit is:
125 mL (½ cup) fresh, frozen or canned vegetable or fruit or 100% juice
250 mL (1 cup) leafy raw
vegetables or salad
1 fruit
Let’s start by looking at what is one Food Guide Serving of Vegetables and Fruit:
125 mL (½ cup) of fresh, frozen or canned vegetable or fruit or 100% juice
250 mL (1 cup) of leafy raw vegetables or salad
1 fruit
Suggested handout and props
List of Food Guide Servings for Vegetables and Fruit: a printer-friendly version is available from the Food Guide Web site. (
Bring measuring cups (1 cup and ½ cup) to your presentation and use it to show what is one Food Guide Serving of Vegetables and Fruit.

10. One Food Guide Serving of Grain Products is:
1 slice (35 g) bread or ½ bagel (45 g)
½ pita (35 g) or ½ tortilla (35 g)
125 mL (½ cup) cooked rice, pasta, or couscous
30 g cold cereal
175 mL (¾ cup) hot cereal
One Food Guide Serving of Grain Products is:
1 slice (35 g) of bread or ½ a bagel (45 g)
½ a pita (35 g) or ½ a tortilla (35 g)
125 mL (½ cup) of cooked rice, pasta, or couscous
30 g of cold cereal – Look at the Nutrition Facts table on the package to see the equivalent in millilitres (mL) or cups.
175 mL (¾ cup) of hot cereal
Suggested handout and props
List of Food Guide Servings for Grain Products: a printer-friendly version is available from the Food Guide Web site. (
Bring a measuring cup to your presentation and use it to show what is one Food Guide Serving of Grain Products.
Bring a Nutrition Facts table from a food label of bread and/or cereal to show where to look for the amount in grams (found at the top of the Nutrition Facts table) and compare it to one Food Guide Serving. Note that the serving amount on a Nutrition Facts table may be different than a Food Guide Serving amount.

11. One Food Guide Serving of Milk and Alternatives is:
250 mL (1 cup) milk or fortified soy beverage
175 g (¾ cup) yogurt
50 g (1 ½ oz.) cheese
One Food Guide Serving of Milk and Alternatives is:
250 mL (1 cup) of milk or fortified soy beverage
175 g (¾ cup) of yogurt
50 g (1 ½ oz.) of cheese
Suggested handout and props
List of Food Guide Servings for Milk and Alternatives: a printer-friendly version is available from the Food Guide Web site. (
Bring a measuring cup to your presentation and use it to show what is one Food Guide Serving of Milk and Alternatives.
To show a 50 g Food Guide Serving of cheese, bring along a piece of foam with the following proportions: 3” x 1” x 1”

12. One Food Guide Serving of Meat and Alternatives is:
75 g (2 ½ oz.) or 125 mL (½ cup) cooked fish, shellfish, poultry or lean meat
175 mL (¾ cup) cooked beans
2 eggs
30 mL (2 Tbsp) peanut butter
One Food Guide Serving of Meat and Alternatives is:
75 g (2 ½ oz.) or 125 mL (½ cup) cooked fish, shellfish, poultry or lean meat
175 mL (¾ cup) of cooked beans
2 eggs
30 mL (2 Tbsp) of peanut butter
Suggested handout and props
List of Food Guide Servings for Meat and Alternatives: a printer-friendly version is available from the Food Guide Web site. (
Bring a measuring cup and a tablespoon to your presentation and use it to show what is one Food Guide Serving of Meat and Alternatives.

13. Use vegetable oils such as canola, olive and soybean
Oils and Fats
Include a small amount - 30 to 45 ml (2 to 3 Tbsp) - of unsaturated fat each day
This includes oil used for cooking, salad dressings, margarine and mayonnaise
Use vegetable oils such as canola, olive and soybean
In addition to foods from the four food groups, we also need a small amount of oils and fats.
For good health, include a small amount (2-3 tablespoons) of unsaturated fat and limit the amount of saturated and trans fats in your day.
Choosing the right amount and type of oils and fats can lower your risk of developing certain diseases such as heart disease.
Oils and fats that are mostly unsaturated include vegetable oils used for cooking, salad dressings, soft margarine and mayonnaise. Look for oils such as canola, olive and soybean.
Limit butter, hard margarine, lard and shortening due to the high amount of saturated and trans fats they contain.
Note to presenter: More examples of unsaturated oils and fats can be found on Health Canada’s Food Guide Web site at the following link:

14. The type of food that you eat is as important as the amount that you eat!
We’ve discussed the amount of food recommended, now lets focus on the type of food. Because, the type of food that you eat is as important as the amount that you eat!
Canada’s Food Guide has tips on making wise food choices in each food group.

15. Vegetables and Fruit Eat at least one dark green and
one orange vegetable each day
Choose vegetables and fruit prepared with little or no added fat, sugar or salt
Have vegetables and fruit more often than juice
Again, lets start with the Vegetables and Fruit food group.
Eat at least one dark green and one orange vegetable each day to help you get enough folate and vitamin A.
Dark green vegetables are important sources of folate. Some examples of dark green vegetables are asparagus, broccoli, and romaine lettuce.
Orange vegetables are rich in carotenoids such as beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A. Some examples of orange vegetables are carrots, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes.
Some orange-coloured fruit are also high in vitamin A. Some examples include apricots, cantaloupe, and mango, and can replace an orange vegetable.
Choose vegetables and fruit prepared with little or no added fat, sugar or salt.
Most vegetables and fruit are naturally low in fat and calories. They become high sources of fat when they are breaded, fried or served with cream-based sauces, butter or cream. Enjoy vegetables steamed, baked or stir-fried instead of deep-fried.
Have vegetables and fruit more often than juice
This will help you get more fibre.
Suggested Activity: Ask the participants to think about the strategies and tips they use to reach their recommended number of Food Guide Servings for Vegetables and Fruit. Do they eat a vegetable and fruit at each meal and snack? Do they add extra vegetables to their favourite soups and casseroles?

16. Make at least half of your grain products whole grain each day
Choose grain products that are lower in fat, sugar or salt
Make at least half of your grain products whole grain each day.
Eating whole grains will help you get enough fibre and magnesium. A diet rich in whole grains may also help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Examples of whole grains include barley, oats, brown rice or wild rice.
Choose grain products that are lower in fat, sugar or salt.
Most grain products are naturally low in fat, but the way we eat them can add extra calories and increase the total fat consumed. For example, if you add spreads or sauces to your pasta or bread, use small amounts.
Make sandwiches on whole grain bagels, baguettes, bread, buns and tortillas instead of croissants. Trade the morning cinnamon bun for an English muffin spread with nut butter. Buy lower fat and lower salt (sodium) versions of crackers.
Suggested Activity
Ask the participants to think about the ways in which they limit the amount of fat they add to their favourite grains and grain products.
For example, do they spice up noodles and rice with fresh herbs or curry spice instead of rich, creamy sauces? Do they spread their sandwiches with mustard rather than butter?

17. Drink skim, 1% or 2% milk each day
Milk and Alternatives
Drink skim, 1% or 2% milk each day
Drink fortified soy beverages if you do not drink milk
Select lower fat milk alternatives
Drink skim, 1% or 2% milk each day.
In order to get adequate vitamin D, you should drink 500 mL (2 cups) of milk.
Fortified soy beverages can be used as an alternative to milk. They contain added vitamins and minerals to make them a nutritionally adequate alternative to milk. Look for the word “fortified” on the package.
Select lower fat milk alternatives.
Milk products with high milk fat content such as cheese and some yogurt contain high amounts of fat, saturated fat and calories. Look for lower fat yogurt (2% M.F. [milk fat] or less), and lower fat cheese (15% to 20% M.F. or less). Replace half the cheese in a recipe with a variety of cheese that is lower in fat. Serve lower fat vanilla or fruit-flavoured yogurt as a dip for fruit.
Suggested Activity
Ask the participants to think about their favourite and creative ways to reach their recommended number of Food Guide Servings for Milk and Alternatives each day. For example, do they choose to have a latté with low fat milk? Do they use low fat milk when preparing scrambled eggs, hot cereal, casseroles and soups?
*Bring in food labels to demonstrate where to find nutrition information.

18. Meat and Alternatives
Have meat alternatives such as beans, lentils and tofu often
Eat at least two Food Guide
Servings of fish each week
Select lean meat and alternatives prepared with little or no added fat or salt
When it comes to meat consumption, times have changed. Many of us grew up in households where meat took centre stage on the dinner plate. Today, a balanced meal includes meat alternatives or smaller amounts of meat.
Have meat alternatives such as beans, lentils and tofu often.
This will help lower your saturated fat intake and increase your intake of fibre.
Eat at least two Food Guide Servings of fish each week.
Regular consumption of fish helps reduce the risk of heart disease.
All fish contain at least some omega-3 fats which are important for health. Good choices include char, herring, mackerel, rainbow trout, salmon and sardines because these have very high amounts of omega-3 fats.
Select lean meat and alternatives prepared with little or no added fat or salt.
To help you reduce the amount of saturated fat you eat, Canada’s Food Guide emphasizes lean cuts of meat and skinless poultry. Instead of frying or deep-frying meats, bake, broil, poach or roast them and allow the fat to drip off. Luncheon meats, processed meats and sausages add extra fat and sodium. If you eat these products, choose lower fat and lower salt varieties.
Suggested Activity: Ask participants how they can incorporate alternatives to meat such as beans, lentils and tofu into their meals.
For example, do they top a salad with beans, nuts or seeds? Do they add tofu, peas, beans or lentils to soups, stews and casseroles?

19. Counting Food Guide Servings in a Meal
Meals usually consist of different foods from more than one food group, such as casseroles, stir-fries and stews. Counting the number of Food Guide Servings in a meal requires that you know what foods are in the meal, as well as how much of each food was used to prepare the meal.
In this example, the meal is made up of:
250 mL (1 cup) mixed broccoli, carrot and sweet red pepper = 2 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Servings
75 g (2 ½ oz.) lean beef = 1 Meat and Alternative Food Guide Serving
250 mL (1 cup) brown rice = 2 Grain Products Food Guide Servings
5 mL (1 tsp) canola oil = part of your Oils and Fats intake for the day
250 mL (1 cup) 1% milk = 1 Milk and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
1 apple = 1 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
Note to presenter: More examples of counting Food Guide Servings in a meal are provided on the Web site:
Suggested Activity: Use the Food Guide Servings Tracker as an exercise to help participants figure out how to count the Food Guide Servings in their meals. The Food Guide Servings Tracker can be downloaded from the X section of Health Canada’s Food Guide Web site.

20. Count the Food Guide Servings in this Meal
Vegetable Curry
125 mL (½ cup) fresh spinach
 (1 cup) carrot, cauliflower, mushrooms, green beans, onion
about 90 mL (6 Tbsp) chickpeas
15 mL (1 Tbsp) peanut oil
Note to presenter: Optional slide (if you don’t have access to the Internet and the Food Guide Tracker)
Suggested Activity:
Ask participants to identify which Food Groups these foods belong to and then count the number of Food Guide servings they make up.
Answer:
125 mL (½ cup) fresh spinach = ½ Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
250 mL (1 cup) carrot, cauliflower, mushrooms, green beans, onion = 2 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving
about 90 mL (6 Tbsp) chickpeas = about ½ Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
15 mL (1 Tbsp) peanut oil = part of your Oils and Fat intake for the day 

21. Canada’s Food Guide also Recommends:
Satisfying your thirst with water
Enjoying a variety of foods from
the four food groups
Canada’s Food Guide also recommends:
To drink water regularly. It can satisfy thirst and provide hydration without adding calories.
Drink more water in hot weather or when you are very active.
To eat different foods within each food group. It will help you get all of the nutrients you need.
Suggested Activity
All beverages provide hydration. However, water is a calorie-free way to quench your thirst. Ask the participants to make a list of the beverages that they usually drink in a day. Is water on the list?

22. Canada’s Food Guide also Recommends:
Limiting foods and beverages high in calories, fat, sugar or salt
Examples include cakes and pastries, doughnuts and muffins, french fries and potato chips, nachos and other salty snacks, alcohol, fruit flavoured drinks, soft drinks, sports and energy drinks
In addition to eating the recommended amount and type of food each day, Canada’s Food Guide recommends limiting foods and beverages high in calories, fat, sugar or salt (sodium). Refer to the back panel of Canada’s Food Guide for a list of foods that should be limited.
Foods that are high in fat and sugar are high in calories. Also, higher fat foods are often higher in saturated and trans fats. These kinds of fats put people at higher risk for heart disease.
Most people get more salt (sodium) than they need, especially if they eat packaged, processed foods and meals made outside of the home.

23. Read the Label
Compare the Nutrition Facts table on food labels to choose products that contain less fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar and sodium
Keep in mind that the calories and
nutrients listed are for the amount
of food found at the top of the
Nutrition Facts table
Nutrition information on food labels can help you make wise choices. To help you choose products which contain less fat, saturated and trans fats, sugar and sodium, read the Nutrition Facts table on food labels.
Keep in mind that the calories and nutrients listed are for the amount of food found at the top of the Nutrition Facts table.
Note to presenter: Health Canada’s Food Guide Web site provides additional information on label reading, including links to the Interactive Nutrition Label and Quiz. (
Suggested Activity
To help your audience better understand food labels, bring along some food labels to look at. Compare labels on similar products, such as crackers, cheese, or cereal.
Suggested Handout
The Nutrition Labelling tearsheet provides information on reading food labels. To order copies, visit the Health Canada Web site:

24. Advice for Different Ages and Stages
People of different ages and at different stages of life have specific needs. These groups include:
Children
Women of childbearing age, and
Men and women over the age of 50
Canada’s Food Guide provides additional messages and guidance for children, women of childbearing age and adults over 50.
Note to presenter:
Depending on your audience you may decide to include all, part, or none of the slides pertaining to advice for different ages and stages.

25. • Serve small nutritious meals and snacks each day
Advice for Children
• Serve small nutritious meals and snacks each day
Do not restrict nutritious
foods because of their
fat content
Be a good role model
Following Canada’s Food Guide helps children grow and thrive.
Because young children have small stomachs that tend to fill up quickly, children need to eat small amounts of food throughout the day. One Food Guide Serving from a food group can be divided up into smaller amounts and served throughout the day. For example, a Food Guide Serving of Meat and Alternatives can be split and served at two different meals. One egg can be served at lunch and about 30 g (1 oz.) of chicken for dinner.
Since young children need calories for growth and development, the Food Guide recommends not restricting nutritious foods because of their fat content and serving a variety of foods from the four food groups.
Be a good role model. Children look to parents and caregivers to learn eating behaviours and develop a taste for healthy food.
Suggested Activity
Ask participants to think of ways that they can be a good healthy eating role model.
e.g. Have meals together. Eat vegetables or fruit at every meal.

26. Advice for Women of Childbearing Age
• All women who could become pregnant and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding
need a multivitamin containing folic acid
everyday
Pregnant women also need extra iron from
a multivitamin
Specific advice is provided for women of childbearing age:
Although folic acid is found in some foods, such as dark green vegetables, beans, lentils, orange juice and some grain products, all women who could become pregnant and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding need a daily multivitamin containing 400 micrograms (0.4 mg) of folic acid.
This supplement, together with the amount of folic acid obtained by following Canada's Food Guide, will help decrease the risk of neural tube defects and meet the extra folic acid needs for those pregnant and breastfeeding.
In addition, pregnant women need to ensure that their multivitamin also contains enough iron. A health care provider can help them find the right multivitamin.

27. Advice for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women
Pregnant and breastfeeding women need extra calories
Include an extra 2-3 Food Guide Servings from any of the food groups
Specific advice is also included for pregnant and breastfeeding women:
The Food Guide recommends that pregnant and breastfeeding women add an extra 2 or 3 Food Guide Servings each day from any of the food groups.
For example, 2 extra Food Guide Servings could be: one piece of fruit and 175 g (¾ cup) of yogurt.
Note to presenter: Additional examples of how to include the extra 2 or 3 Food Guide Servings can be found on Health Canada’s Food Guide web site at:

28. Advice for Men and Women over 50
• The need for vitamin D increases after the age of 50
In addition to following the Food
Guide, take a daily vitamin D
supplement of 10 µg (400 IU)
Vitamin D needs increase after the age of 50 and are higher than can be obtained by following the Food Guide.
In older adults, vitamin D intake is associated with highest bone mineral density, improved muscle strength, reduced fracture rates, reduced rates of falling and improved mobility.
Therefore, all adults over 50 should take a supplement containing 400 IU of vitamin D in addition to following the Food Guide to meet their vitamin D needs.
Note to presenter: 400 IU (international units) of vitamin D = 10 µg (micrograms) of vitamin D.

29. Eating Well and Being Active Work Together for a Healthier You!
The benefits of eating well and being active include:
Better overall health
Lower risk of disease
A healthy body weight
Feeling and looking better
More energy
Stronger muscles and bones
Along with eating well, being active is also an important part of being healthy.
There are many reasons for eating well and being active regularly. These include:
Better overall health
Lower risk of disease
A healthy body weight
Feeling and looking better
More energy
Stronger muscles and bones

30. Be Active Canada’s Physical Activity Guide recommends building:
30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical
activity into daily life for adults
At least 90 minutes a day for children
and youth
Start slowly and build up!
Canada’s Physical Activity Guide recommends building:
30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity into daily life for adults
At least 90 minutes a day for children and youth
Physical activity does not have to be done all at once. Add it up in periods of at least 10 minutes at a time for adults and five minutes at a time for children and youth.
Note to presenter: More tips on how to include physical activity into your day can be found on Health Canada’s Food Guide web site:
Suggested Activity
Ask participants what ways they include physical activity in their days? What creative ideas do they have to increase the physical activity in their days?

31. Take a Step Today… Have breakfast every day Walk whenever you can
Spend less time being inactive
Eat vegetables and fruit at all meals and snacks
Enjoy eating with family and friends
Take time to eat and savour every bite
You now have a better idea of the amount of food you need, the type of food to choose, and the importance of physical activity so that you can enjoy healthy living by eating well and being active. Why not start today? Here are some tips to be active and eat well today and every day.
Have breakfast every day. It may help control your hunger later in the day.
Walk wherever you can – get off the bus early, use the stairs.
Spend less time being inactive such as watching TV or playing computer games.
Benefit from eating vegetables and fruit at all meals and as snacks.
Enjoy eating with family and friends
Take time to eat and savour every bite
Note to presenter: Many more tips can be found on Health Canada’s Food Guide web site:
Suggested Activity
What is one change that you could make today to eat well or be active?

32. For More Information Visit Canada’s Food Guide Online: www
For More Information Visit Canada’s Food Guide Online:
Check out Canada’s Food Guide online for more practical tips on how to incorporate Canada’s Food Guide into your day, and to get a copy of the Food Guide.
The Web site also has ‘My Food Guide’, an interactive tool that will help you personalize the information found in Canada's Food Guide.
By entering your age and gender, selecting various items from the four food groups and choosing different types of physical activities, you can create a print out that is customized just for you.
Note to presenter: The image on the left shows the Food Guide homepage. The image on the right shows a completed My Food Guide.
Suggested Activity
If you have access to a computer, the Internet, and a printer, participants could create copies of My Food Guide.