All Sections All Sections The Free Press Subscribe
Articles Read Your Balance +tax

July 7, 2022

Winnipeg
19° C, Partly cloudy

Full Forecast

Contact Us Subscribe Manage Subscription Chat with us
Log in Create Free Account Help Chat with us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertising Contact
    • Submit a News Tip
    • Subscribe to Newsletters

    • Finding your
      information

    • My Account
    • Manage my Subscription
    • Change Password

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate

    • Log Out
    • Log in
    • Create Free Account
    • Help

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate
  • Coronavirus Coverage
  • Replica E-Edition
    • About the E-Edition
    • Winnipeg Free Press
    • Community Review East
    • Community Review West
  • Above the Fold
  • Front page
  • Arts & Life
    • All Arts & Life
    • The Arts
    • Autos
    • Books
    • Book Club
    • Cannabis
    • Celebrities
    • Diversions
    • Puzzles
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Faith
    • Food & Drink
    • Your Health
    • Life & Style
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Science & Technology
    • TV
    • Travel
  • Business
    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • Personal Finance
    • Manitoba's Top Employers
  • Canada
  • Local
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send a Letter to the Editor
  • Sports
    • All Sports
    • Amateur
    • Auto Racing
    • Blue Bombers
    • Curling
    • Football
    • Goldeyes
    • Golf
    • High School
    • Hockey
    • Horse Racing
    • Winnipeg Jets
    • Manitoba Moose
    • WHL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • Olympics
    • Soccer
  • World
  • Reader BridgeNEW
  • WFP EventsNEW
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Advertising
    • Contact Us
    • Carrier Positions & Retailer Requests
    • FP Newspapers Inc.
    • History
    • Internships
    • Job Opportunities
    • News Café
    • Privacy Policy
    • Retail Locations
    • Staff Biographies
    • Terms and Conditions
  • Archives
  • Free Press Community Review
    • All Free Press Community Review News
    • East Edition
    • West Edition
    • Sports
    • Events
    • Contact Us
    • E-Editions
  • Classifieds
  • Contests
  • Coupons
    • All Coupons
    • Staples Copy & Print Coupons
    • Ripley's Aquariums Coupons
    • The Bay Coupons
    • Staples Canada Coupons
    • Altitude Sports Coupons
    • Nike Coupons
    • Tuango Coupons
    • Ebay Canada Coupons
    • Sport Chek Coupons
    • Roots Coupons
  • LifestylesNEW
    • All Lifestyles
    • Business Hub
    • Community
    • Drink & Dine
    • Life
    • Wellness
    • Whiskers & Wings
    • Sponsored Articles
  • Homes
    • Property Listings
    • Featured News
    • Renovation and design
    • New homes
    • Resale homes
  • Newsletters
  • Obituaries
  • Puzzles
  • Photo and Book store
  • More

©2022 FP Newspaper Inc.

Close
  • Quick Links

    • Coronavirus Coverage
    • Federal Election
    • Above the Fold
    • Home
    • Local
    • Canada
    • World
    • Classifieds
    • Special Coverage
    • Newsletters
    • Obituaries
    • Photo and Book store
    • Archives
    • Contests
    • Publications
    • Sponsored Content
    • Privacy Policy

    Ways to support us

    • Pay it Forward program
    • Subscribe
    • Support Faith coverage
    • Support Arts coverage
  • Replica E-Edition

    • About the E-Edition
    • Winnipeg Free Press
    • Community Review East
    • Community Review West

    Business

    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • Personal Finance
  • Arts & Life

    • All Arts & Life
    • The Arts
    • Autos
    • Books
    • Cannabis
    • Celebrities
    • Diversions
    • Puzzles
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Faith
    • Food & Drink
    • Your Health
    • Life & Style
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Science & Technology
    • TV
    • Travel
  • Sports

    • All Sports
    • Amateur
    • Auto Racing
    • Blue Bombers
    • Curling
    • Football
    • Goldeyes
    • Golf
    • High School
    • Hockey
    • Horse Racing
    • Winnipeg Jets
    • Manitoba Moose
    • WHL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • Olympics
    • Soccer
  • Opinion

    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send a Letter to the Editor

    Media

    • All Media
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos

    Homes

    • Property Listings
    • Featured News
    • Renovation and design
    • New homes
    • Resale homes
  • Canstar Community News

    • All Free Press Community Review News
    • East Edition
    • West Edition
    • Sports
    • Events
    • Contact Us
    • E-Editions
  • Coupons

    • All Coupons
    • Staples Copy & Print Coupons
    • Ripley's Aquariums Coupons
    • The Bay Coupons
    • Staples Canada Coupons
    • Altitude Sports Coupons
    • Nike Coupons
    • Tuango Coupons
    • Ebay Canada Coupons
    • Sport Chek Coupons
    • Roots Coupons
  • About Us

    • About Us
    • Advertising
    • Contact Us
    • Carrier Positions & Retailer Requests
    • FP Newspapers Inc.
    • History
    • Internships
    • Job Opportunities
    • News Café
    • Privacy Policy
    • Retail Locations
    • Staff Biographies
    • Terms and Conditions
Free Press Community News
  • Sports
  • Correspondents
  • Columns
  • Contact Us
  • Staff and Contributors
  • E-Editions
  • Events
  • Weekly Video Updates

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

Saying goodbye to peanut butter sandwiches

New website seeks to connect parents with healthy recipes

By: Arielle Godbout
Posted: 1:58 AM CDT Wednesday, Sep. 21, 2011

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Print
  • Email
  • Save to Read Later

It started with a mother’s visit to her son’s classroom, and has evolved into a province-wide initiative to help families pack more nutritious, sustainable food in their children’s lunches.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/9/2011 (3942 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It started with a mother’s visit to her son’s classroom, and has evolved into a province-wide initiative to help families pack more nutritious, sustainable food in their children’s lunches.


Adrienne Percy, a St. Vital resident, said she was volunteering at her son’s school last year, and decided to join him for lunch.

Sherry Rothwell (left) and Adrienne Percy show off some of the recipes featured on Dig In Manitoba, and some of their favourite fresh ingredients.

PHOTO BY ARIELLE GODBOUT

Sherry Rothwell (left) and Adrienne Percy show off some of the recipes featured on Dig In Manitoba, and some of their favourite fresh ingredients.


"I just kind of sat back and observed what the kids were eating," she recalled. "There were a few things that made me really sad as a parent."


At least 90% of the lunches included some processed foods, while nearly 70% were made up entirely of processed foods, she said.


Inspired by what she saw, Percy approached her son’s principal, offering to help.


He suggested she write a monthly article for the school’s newspaper that would include a recipe.


Percy said she considered the idea, then decided something bigger was needed.


"Why would we just do it for one school? There’s so many opportunities here," she said.


The mom approached Food Matters Manitoba — a charity that aims to promote healthy, sustainable and fair food for all — and together, they came up with Dig In Manitoba.


The project, which can be accessed at www.diginmanitoba.ca, is an online resource that allows parents to access and share recipes and advice on cooking healthy meals — and especially packed lunches — for their children.


The website also has resources for teachers, and schools can sign up with Dig In Manitoba and have a monthly article and recipe sent to them for their newsletter.


"We just wanted to make it very easy for people," Percy said.


There’s even a weekly recipe planner so parents can get organized, and a list of stores to buy local, sustainable ingredients.


Percy has recruited her close friend and holistic nutritionist, Sherry Rothwell, to help with the website.
Rothwell, who lives in Fort Rouge, said she works with a lot of parents, and said they often resort to processed foods because they’re "frazzled and overspent."


"When people imagine making things from scratch, it seems like a whole lot of work," she said.


It doesn’t have to be, she added. With some careful planning, a simple Sunday meal like a slow-cooked chicken could easily also become chicken nuggets, chicken salad sandwiches, and soup base.


"It’s not that hard if you start with a little planning and it’s going to make your whole week so much easier," she said.


Percy added that because the site is membership-based, once a parent has signed up they can begin sharing their own recipes and advice — like how to get a fussy eater to gobble up their vegetables.


"We all know that some of the best tips we’ve ever got — whether that’s as a parent or just in your day-to-day life — those sorts of things come from people who are already in your community," she said.


To celebrate the grassroots tradition of sharing recipes, Percy added, there’s an opportunity for people to share the story behind any recipe they submit.


Rothwell added many of the recipes are based on foods you might find in an average child’s lunch — like cream cheese, chicken nuggets, dried fruit snacks, vegetable dip and granola bars.

Free Press Community Review | Newsletter

Community Calendar

A weekly look at news and events that matter in your communities.

Sign up for Community Calendar
Sign Up


"Basically, upgrade the quality of what they’re already eating, so you don’t overwhelm them with change," she said.


Percy said while the food might look a little different to kids, as long as it tastes good they’ll be more than happy.


"Kids have to be given the opportunity to eat good, healthy meals," she said.


To help launch the website, Dig In Manitoba will be screening the award-winning film Nourish on Sept. 21 at the Park Theatre at 7 p.m., followed by a panel discussion.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door.


Facebook.com/TheLanceWpg
Twitter: @LanceWPG

arielle.godbout@canstarnews.com

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

  • Report Error
  • Submit a Tip
  • Refund

The Winnipeg Free Press invites you to share your opinion on this story in a letter to the editor. A selection of letters to the editor are published daily.

To submit a letter:
• fill out the form on this page, or
• email letters@freepress.mb.ca, or
• mail Letters to the Editor, 1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2X 3B6.

Letters must include the writer’s full name, address, and a daytime phone number. Letters are edited for length and clarity.

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

Top