There are days I come home tired but as a parent, still need to think of a healthy dinner to prepare for myself and my family. This is my 'go-to' quick, nutritious, no-cook meal that is ready in under 30 minutes. I use this salad as my protein filling, but also have chopped lettuce, tomatoes,… Continue reading Taco Salad: A quick and balanced dinner
Author: Diana Chu, RD
I have been with the Healthiest Babies Possible (HBP) program at Toronto Public Health since 2003. As a Registered Dietitian, I work with individuals and groups during their pregnancies to support a healthy outcome for both parent and baby through food and nutrition.
Ways to increase your fluid intake during pregnancy
It is so important to stay hydrated when you’re pregnant. Canada's Food Guide recommends we make water our drink of choice and Toronto's tap water is safe to drink and free! Drinking enough fluids will help: decrease constipation control swelling in pregnancy control your body temperature support the transport of nutrients to and waste from… Continue reading Ways to increase your fluid intake during pregnancy
Breastfeeding: Top 5 nutrition questions
Our family and friends often give us advice during and after our pregnancy on how to take care of ourselves and our babies. What we should eat while breastfeeding tends to be a question that we get a wide range of responses to. Top 5 breastfeeding and nutrition questions that I often get asked are:… Continue reading Breastfeeding: Top 5 nutrition questions
Unlock the potential of food!
Food plays an important in everyone's life. Not only does it provide nutrients to our bodies and keep us healthy, it can: socially bring people together, mentally keep us focused and well, as well as prevent or help manage our health conditions such as diabetes, and high blood pressure. March 2019 is Nutrition Month and… Continue reading Unlock the potential of food!
Gluten: What’s the Scoop?
Is a gluten-free diet better for you and your baby's health? Here's Munira Shabber, a student with Ryerson University's Internationally Educated Professionals in Nutrition program to answer this question. Gluten free diets have been trending recently in the news for being healthier. I sometimes get asked by new moms on whether they should switch to… Continue reading Gluten: What’s the Scoop?
Safe storage of leftover food
Preparing larger portions of food ahead of time, or having family or friends bring you home cooked food, is a great way to minimize how often you have to cook. I often encourage my clients to prepare a larger portion of food and freeze the extra amount for another meal. That last month of pregnancy… Continue reading Safe storage of leftover food
Bruschetta: An easy snack using local foods
Right now, there is a lot of locally grown fruits and vegetables available at our supermarkets such as broccoli, beets, cucumbers, tomatoes, grapes and peaches. Here's Munira Shabber, a student with Ryerson University's Internationally Educated Professionals in Nutrition program, to share what "eating local" means and a quick and easy recipe. For everyone, including pregnant… Continue reading Bruschetta: An easy snack using local foods
Food safety in pregnancy
During pregnancy, we often take extra steps to protect our growing baby. Preparing food safely should be one of these steps. In pregnancy, our body's ability to fight off bacteria changes and this increases our risk of getting food poisoning, also known as foodborne illness. Foodborne illnesses might not make us sick right away; sometimes… Continue reading Food safety in pregnancy
Should I take a vitamin/mineral supplement during pregnancy?
Although we try to improve our eating habits during pregnancy, pregnancy itself can bring on changes that can affect our appetite. So I often get asked, "Do I have to take any supplements during pregnancy?" The short answer is yes. Health Canada recommends that all pregnant individuals take a multivitamin daily that contains 0.4mg of… Continue reading Should I take a vitamin/mineral supplement during pregnancy?
Eggs: Simple tortilla cup recipe
Got Eggs? Ever wonder about the difference between brown and white eggs? Their nutrition is actually the same! The difference is that brown eggs come from hens with brown feathers and white eggs come from hens with white feathers! Eggs can be part of a balanced diet. They're an excellent source of protein, vitamins and… Continue reading Eggs: Simple tortilla cup recipe