Want to know more? The best ingredient is information.
This section is a portal that will take you into the world of information about healthy eating and active living. There's everything from strategies to create a healthy eating and living plan, to information about organizations who are promoting just that.
There are resources which help facilities choose which vending snacks to offer and others that explain the provincial government's approach to the healthy food issue. It's food for the brain.
Please Note: The information sources and links contained on this website do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors of this website and are provided for information only.
The Brand Name Food List provides nutrition ratings for packaged and franchised foods and beverages to help you find “Choose Most” and “Choose Sometimes” items that meet BC's nutrition standards for schools and public buildings.
Pathways to Knowledge: Promising Practices in Healthy Choice Facilities. This report was developed as part of a process to identify emerging promising practices in the area of recreation and local government facilities (including First Nations) in consultation with HFBS Phase 1 mentor communities. It is intended as a strategic resource to communities throughout British Columbia that are considering
initiatives to offer healthy food and beverages choices in community recreation centres and local government buildings to help improve the
health of British Columbians.
Promising Practices Survey from Phase 1 communities. The results from a survey of Phase 1 Mentor Communties conducted in the fall of 2008.
The Vending Provincial Policy paper outlines the provincial government's 2006 initiative to encourage the sale of healthy vending machine products in BC public buildings as part of the government's strategy to reduce health care costs by improving individual health. The policy paper covers which buildings are affected and what the new nutritional guidelines are.
The Healthy Choice Criteria Charts provide detailed nutritional guidelines (amount of sugar, calories, fibre, protein, and so on) for every type of food or beverage that could be offered in vending machines and concessions (from juices to soups to nut bars and everything in between).
How to Make Fast Foods Healthier offers simple tips and suggestions on how to make familiar foods a better choice. Yes, you can make that hotdog healthier! Download it in the box at top right.
The Coaching Association of Canada is constantly revising its sport nutrition resources to ensure that athletes and coaches have the most up-to-date information on nutrition and athletic performance. Visit their website for tips, resources and loads of useful information!
Becoming a Healthy Choice Facility (NOTE: download this from the box at top right): This Power Point presentation provides an overview of becoming a healthy choices facility. It is also a helpful communications tool to help set the stage when talking to key decision makers and others. You can customize the presentation by inserting your facility's name on the introductory page.
Healthy Food and Beverage Sales in BC Public Buildings: Industry Meeting Report (NOTE: download this from the box at top right): This report provides an overview of the July 2008 meeting with the BC food industry and its support systems to make the sale of healthy food and beverages easier and more accessible in recreation facilities and local government buildings.
The BCRPA Magazine's Winter 2009 edition focuses on Healthy Food and Beverage Sales Planning. Download it in the box at top right.
Sport Nutrition. This sport nutrition resource provides tips on food intake and fluid replacement for athletes and active individuals.
Healthy Eating At School is one of the ActNow BC initiatives aimed at encouraging healthy eating at school. It is a partnership between BC Dairy Foundation, BC Ministry of Healthy Living & Sport and Knowledge: (formerly Knowledge Network). It is designed to be THE ONE-STOP SHOP where school communities can find all the resources they need to implement nutrition policy at school.
Eating Well for your Active Lifestyle. Wondering how to keep your energy levels up in the afternoon? Have questions about sports drinks and energy drinks? Check out this informative fact sheet for the accurate evidence based information from Dietitians of Canada.
Fueling Fitness: Common Myths Busted. Dietitians of Canada’s
National Nutrition Month® 2009 focuses on nutrition and healthy eating for
active lifestyles. Check out these myths and the fact busting answers!
The BC Dairy Foundation has produced a range of terrific materials on sports nutrition. To view the sports nutrition posters available, click here.
The Cost of Physical Activity in British Columbia includes important information for anyone who is making the case for a program that promotes and supports increased physical activity among all age groups as part of an integrated active living, healthy eating strategy.
The Coalition of Active Living represents over 100 organizations across Canada dedicated to promoting environments that support regular physical activity. The website provides valuable facts and information that can help you in developing an integrated active living, healthy eating strategy.
The Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability (ALACD) promotes, supports and enables Canadians with disabilities to lead active, healthy lives.
The ParticipAction website provides useful facts and information that can help you to develop an integrated active living, healthy eating strategy.
The BC Nutrition Survey includes comprehensive, up-to-date information on the eating habits of adult British Columbians. The BC Nutrition Survey was a collaboration of Ministry of Health, Health Canada and University of British Columbia. And the results will be used by government and health organizations to evaluate existing programs and policies and to plan future ones.
Since 1990, Concerned Children's Advertisers has produced PSAs that speak directly to children about problems and issues they face in their everyday lives — including recent spots on healthy active living. You can view these PSAs online.
The BC School Food and Beverage For Sale Guidelines provide the government's most recent guidelines (2007) for which foods should be offered for sale in BC schools and how to categorize them (“Choose Most,” “Choose Sometimes,” “Choose Least,” and “Not Recommended”).
The School Food Sales Policy report provides detailed information about the types of foods and beverages currently available in BC schools, and how the nutritional levels of these foods and beverages have changed since the first report was published in 2005.
The School Vending: Meeting the Guidelines is a step-by-step guide by ActNow BC on how to increase the nutritional value of food and beverages in BC Among other facts, the guide states that access to healthy food and beverages enhances student learning, behaviour and health, then gives concrete suggestions on how to meet the guidelines.
