Grocery store and Town partner to get folks eating right

Melonie Dizwenka, Morinville’s Culture and Recreation Coordinator, and Amy Dribnenky, Morinville's FCSS Coordinator, show off some of the options available in the 21 Days to Healthy Living challenge going on now in Morinville and throughout the province. – Stephen Dafoe Photo

By MorinvilleNews.com Staff

Morinville – Thursday night’s Active Living Fair served as the launching point for a three-week initiative to get Morinvillian’s eating well. 21 Days to Healthy Living is a joint initiative between the Town of Morinville’s Community Services Department and Sobeys under the Town’s involvement with the Communities ChooseWell program.

The program aims to encourage Alberta families to eat healthier and to enjoy more family meals together. The challenge is for families to eat at least one nutritious home-cooked meal together every day for 21 consecutive days. The program suggests people who eat with family and friends tend to eat better, have improved dietary intake, lower prevalence of disordered eating, and experience lower levels of substance abuse, experience improved psychosocial wellbeing, and improved school performance. The recommendation of 21 days is because that is the length of time experts believe it takes to change behaviours.

“We are very excited to be partnering with Morinville Sobeys and participating in this provincial challenge,” said Melonie Dziwenka, Morinville’s Culture and Recreation Coordinator. “Having our community be active and eat right is a goal for the recreation department. We all benefit from healthier life choices.”

The program coincides with the launch of several active programs available through the Town of Morinville this fall, and gives Morinville families another opportunity to spend time together while making better choices at the dinner table, choices that last long after the dishes are cleared from the table.

The challenge began Sept. 8 and runs until Sept. 28. Families can register online www.arpaonline.ca/choosewell/events. Those registering online are eligible for a number of prizes, including a $2,500 community enhancement prize.

Logbooks to chronicle eating choices were available at Thursday night’s Active Living Fair at the Morinville Community Cultural Centre, but more are available at the Morinville Sobeys location.

For more information contact Melonie Dziwenka at 780 939-7833 or e-mail her at mdziwenka@morinville.ca

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

1 Comment

  1. What a great idea! Good nutrition is the first line of defence in disease prevention. Neighbors Vitamin Shop hasn’t been in Morinville very long so we just want to let everyone know that we have a large selection of gluten free foods and snacks for those who can not tolerate wheat or gluten in their diets. Complex carbohydrates are an important part of a well balanced diet, don’t give them up if you are sensitive to wheat, switch to gluten free!
    Good luck everyone!

Comments are closed.