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The Citizen, 2003-08-20, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2003. Lunchbox tips in time for back to school While families prepare for the busy schedule of fall, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada is urging people to make healthy eating part of their routine. Studies show that Canadians know the benefits of eating well. Still it can be challenging to turn this knowledge into action. In our hectic culture, some children do not always get the daily nutrients they need. Thinking about lunches for kids on the move is a great place to begin. “It’s not hard to make quick healthful foods,” says registered dietitian Carol Danbrow of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada’s Health Check™ Program, the Foundation’s on-pack food information program. “All it takes is a little planning.” She suggests that families make a master list of lunch ideas they enjoy, based on Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating. “Keep your list handy on the fridge or bulletin board. A little thought now will save you time when you prepare your grocery list each week.” Danbrow recommends buying fresh produce in season, and selecting a variety of foods from the four food groups. “The ingredients of a great lunch should be on-hand and ready to assemble in 10 minutes.” Children are encouraged to get involved by adding their own suggestions to the list and helping in the kitchen. “The more they know about healthy eating the better equipped they will be when it comes to making their own choices later on,” says Danbrow. Health Check™ offers the following tips to start the school year off right with a healthy lunchbox. Beat the Trend Prepackaged convenience lunches are the latest trend at school. The bite-size portions and treats appeal to young children, but some may not provide the best nutrition as a daily meal. Make your own using a divided reusable container. Include a selection of favourite foods cut into small portions. Pick from pita triangles, crackers, bread sticks, hummus, cheese cubes or a yogurt dip, sliced vegetables, and fruit such as orange slices, strawberries or melon balls. You have created finger food that is fresher, healthier and less expensive, with no package to throw away. Add in a Treat Keep a batch of small muffins or oatmeal cookies in the freezer for a quick addition to any luntih. Add raisins and dried fruits for snacking, or include a few chocolate chips or crunchy cereal for kids to sprinkle on yogurt and pudding. Pack milk in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack. Other options are water, chocolate milk, yogurt drinks and a variety of 100 per cent fruit or vegetable juices. You can store some drinks in the freezer overnight and add them to the lunch box in the morning. They will have thawed by lunchtime, but still be cold. Also check to see if your school has a milk program where cold milk can be purchased everyday. Comfort Foods Great dinners make great lunches for the next day. Casseroles that travel well in a sturdy insulated container include lentils and rice, and pasta-vegetable dishes served hot or cold. On a winter day, pack baked beans in tomato sauce or a stew made in the slow cooker for dinner the night before. Liven up Tired Sandwiches Use interesting breads such as soft round tortillas to create your own sandwich wraps. Add crunch with a cucumber or crisp lettuce. Children enjoy mini-subs on whole grain buns. They like bagels sliced thin and toasted, with toppings in very small containers they can spread on at lunchtime, such as applesauce and cinnamon or shredded cheese. For teens, try small containers of bruschetta with mozzarella and a sliced whole wheat baguette. Hummus and pita is often a favourite. Easy fillings include tuna, salmon, lean cooked meats or vegetable combinations like thinly- sliced red and green peppers. There’s no limit to the sandwich. Kids on the Move Keep simplicity and small portions in mind. Most kids prefer to eat quickly so they can go outside and play with friends. Don’t try all your good ideas at once. Instead, spread them out over the months ahead and save the best ones for rainy days. FACT: Although 87 per cent of Canadians consider nutrition when choosing foods, many report having real trouble reading product labels and understanding nutrition terms. Health Check™’s simple, yet distinctive symbol, plus the required explanatory message and nutrition facts box displayed on food packages, is there to help consumers make healthier food choices. Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada recommends Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating. Enjoy a variety of foods from all four food groups, keeping balanced eating in mind. Infants not the only ones for vaccinations Infants are routinely immunized against a variety of diseases, with vaccinations given from about 2 months of age and up. But parents often forget that older children and adults may need boosters themselves - and sometimes they overlook key vaccinations that are not on the vaccination schedule. Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends a childhood vaccination schedule against many childhood illnesses which are offered by the provinces and parents do not have to pay to obtain them. NACI has recently added the recommendation for a number of new vaccines for which provincial coverage is not uniformly offered. Among the most serious is meningococcal disease. Meningococcal disease is an acute illness caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, and can have several different strains, the most common being: A, B, C, Y, and W- 135. Transmission of meningococcal disease from one person to another occurs by direct oral contact, such as kissing, sharing a drinking glass or breathing in droplets from an infected person’s cough. Symptoms occur one to four days after exposure and may include sudden fever, intense headache, nausea and possibly vomiting, stiff neck and a distinctive rash. Severe cases can result in delirium and coma and, if untreated, toxic shock and death. The illness can progress very rapidly from evidence of symptoms to death. In Ontario 15-19 years adolescents are at highest risk of contracting a vaccine preventable meningococcal disease caused predominantly by strains C and Y. The incidence of Y continues to increase in Ontario and it is important for parents to understand that the Y strain is preven­ table. “It is important to look at your teen’s vaccination record as some adolescents may not have been vaccinated against all types,” says Dr. Medhat Gindi, medical specialist, Medical Affairs at Aventis Pasteur Limited. Review your family’s immunization records with your pediatrician or family doctor if you have any questions about vaccinations for your children or yourself. - News Canada Business Din ' Jacquie Gowing Accounting Services Computerized Accounting & Income Tax Preparation Personal, Farm, Business 8t Corporate • Monthly Bookkeeping Services • Electronic Tax Filing< 887-9248 J ( INSTANT FAX 'A AS F.A.S.T AS PHONE Send your paperwork by FAX instantlyl eg. statements, contracts, auction ads, favorite recipes, obituaries, messages... The Citizen has a FAX machine in our office that lets you contact any other FAX machine in the world ... instantly. 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