Eat, Read, Learn

If you have comments or suggestions, you can reach Meredith at meredith.lapp@gmail.com

EAT

"Tinned fish date night": canned seafood finally gets its due

Portable protein, inexpensive omega-3s, non-dairy calcium foods, and sources of iron outside of red meat are perennially hot topics for dietitians working with busy, active, health-conscious clientele -- but the canned fish section is often overlooked. Although canned albacore ("white") and yellowfin tuna still need to be limited by those at risk for mercury toxicity (pregnant/breastfeeding people, young children), the majority of shelf-stable seafoods -- herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines, mussels, etc. are low-mercury options high in essential omega-3s.

Time to revisit these budget-friendly, long-lasting nutrition powerhouses -- canned seafood is predicted to be a top food trend in 2023, as indicated by cheeky influencer posts about "tinned fish date night", seafood charcuterie, and renewed consumer interest in economical food shopping. These fun recipes from Bon Appetit have some great ideas as to how to get started using canned fish as a weekly home cooking staple, and our own local IMO cannery in Yarmouth features fresh ideas frequently on their socials.

READ

Red River Hot Cereal is back!

Invented by nutrition enthusiast Gertrude Skilling in her Winnipeg kitchen in 1924, the 3-ingredient seed blend (cracked wheat, rye, and flax) was a Canadian 20th-century breakfast-table staple, especially in Northern and rural communities. It's a filling, tasty, and low-glycemic source of fibre and iron, with no added salt or sugar -- an excellent hot-breakfast base for a broad section of nutrition clients.

Read the story of the Arva Flour Mill in Ontario (4) (North America's oldest operating flour mill) aquiring the Red River brand from Smuckers and reviving this iconic Canadian breakfast.

The cereal is currently available in retail in Ontario, and available online to ship across Canada.

LEARN

Nutrition Month 2023 tackles dietetic insurance coverage - making private nutrition therapy more accessible for more people

The March 2023 Nutrition Month topic has been announced -- it's "Find A Dietitian" and is centred around Dietitians of Canada's ongoing advocacy to have dietetic services covered by more workplace health insurance plans. Learn more about this year's Nutrition Month initiatives here.

The Nova Scotia College of Dietitians and Nutritionists (NSCDN) formed as of January 24, 2023 (replacing the Nova Scotia Dietetic Association [NSDA]) – learn more about what the College formation and proclamation of the Dietitians’ Act will mean for you and your practice here. Under the new Act, broadened scope of practice for practitioners trained in certain roles will help expand access to healthcare for Nova Scotians by allowing trained RDs to order inpatient nutritional support, outpatient bloodwork, and access other tools to support effective and timely patient care. Other changes include the usage of the “RD” [Registered Dietitian] acronym across the board to described licenced practitioners instead of the outdated “PDt” [Professional Dietitian], and a mandatory $5M professional liability insurance requirement for active licensure.

Would broader insurance coverage of dietetic services help your practice space? Do you have clients who would benefit from increased intake of shelf-stable seafood? What are your favourite recommendations to complete a hot-cereal breakfast? Nova Scotia RDs and dietetic interns are invited to join us in the Dietitians’ Network of Nova Scotia’s Facebook group to share your thoughts!

Curated by Meredith Lapp, RD

If you have a blog, book, or online course that you would like to share with your fellow network members, please forward information to Meredith at meredith.lapp@gmail.com