- Plan your meals including foods from the Caribbean 6 Food Groups- Staples (Breads, Grains, Pasta, Ground Provision), Legumes (Nuts & Seeds), Foods from Animals, Fruits, Vegetables and Fats & Oils.
- Base your meals on high-fibre staples such as ground provision, green figs, grains such as oats, barley, wholegrain or multigrain breads and crackers.
- Increase the fibre content of your flour based products by adding bran, flaxseed, chia seed and oats.
- Dried peas and beans such as lentils, black-eyed peas, black beans, kidney beans, channa are not only a good source of protein but also a great source of soluble fibre to keep your gut healthy!
- Time Saver Tip- cook dried peas or beans in bulk, cool then portion and store in freezer safe container or bags for a readily available supply for those times when you’re in a hurry.
- Nuts are great snack, choose unsalted to reduce sodium in your diet. They can be paired with dried fruit such as raisins or paw-paw for a mid-afternoon pick me up.
- Seeds such as flaxseed and chia can be added to dishes such as porridges, salads and baked goods such as muffins.
- Eat fruits in season; this will help to save on cost!
- Think like the rainbow when eating fruits and vegetables, as different colours represent different vitamins and minerals some of which are antioxidants.
- Include both cooked and raw vegetables- add to your favourite dishes or have as a side to your meals and don’t forget have some raw on your plate.
- Portion control is the key to weight and diabetes management. Your plate should have ½ vegetables (cooked and raw), ¼ protein and ¼ staples.
- Preventing food borne illnesses reduces sick days. Wash hands before preparing meals, after handling both cooked and uncooked (raw) food items.
- When preparing meals- keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
- Snacks are an important part of the diet. They fill the hunger gaps between meals.
- Beverages count towards your calories for the day. Water is best, it contains no calories.
- Tired of plain water, try naturally flavouring your water using lemon, cucumber or mint. Remember to keep refrigerated.
- Spice up your meals with natural herbs and spices and forget the high sodium flavouring aids.
- Your taste buds do adjust with time, so if you are used to flavours of salt and sugar gradually keep reducing, eventually your taste buds adjust to the reduced taste for these flavours.
- Budget Saving Tip: When produce are in season, cost price tends to be less, buy in bulk, peel, clean and store in freezer safe containers. This helps you to enjoy your favourite foods all year round and saves money in the bank.
- Get the children involved in the kitchen. Development of healthy habits such as meal preparation not only encourages family time but also fosters healthy eating patterns throughout life.