Equity in Health, Fitness, and Nutrition

Equity in health, fitness, and nutrition is a very important issue within society. It can refer to the way that an individual has access to quality food, fitness, and other health-related resources. In turn, this access could help benefit their life. When one experiences food insecurity and unequal access to fitness, it can take a toll on them. It can damage their health. Therefore, it is important to raise awareness and ensure that everyone has equal access to health, fitness, and nutrition so that everyone has the equal opportunity to live a healthy life.

Grocery Shopping

Grocery shopping is step number one when it comes to getting access to nutritious and quality food choices. It is very important to make healthy choices as food and nutrition are often the foundation to living a healthy life.

Here are some tips for grocery shopping

• Go with a list
• Stick to the outside walls of the grocery store (produce, dairy, meat/fish/tofu, grains)
• Don't shop when you are hungry to avoid impulse purchases
• Have a budget (and stick to it)
• Choose whole-grain foods
• Make sure to read the nutrition label
• Create a meal plan for the week and buy foods from your plan

Eating on a Budget

Being in university can be expensive and a lot of the time, it’s hard to find money to cover even your basic needs. It is important to budget your meals in order to make sure you are still getting all the nutrition you need while not ‘breaking the bank’.

Here are some tips for eating on a budget. 

• Buy fresh produce when it’s in season and freeze it
• Look for sales
• Cook large portions and freeze the leftovers
•  Plan your meals ahead of time
• Stick to your grocery list
• Cook more at home
•  Buy generic brands
•  Price Match
  • Check out Flipp - an app that lets you look at deals in your local grocery stores and price match items. It also has a built-in grocery list function that finds deals for you when you add your items to it.

 Here is a sample recipe that takes a total of 25 minutes:

To learn more, attend a RISE: Equity in Health, Fitness, and Nutrition workshop. Check the Student Life Portal for workshop times and offerings. 

For any questions, please contact us at equity@ontariotechu.ca 

This content is brought to you by the Ontario Tech Equity Advocates.