Influx of money largely goes into junk food, says wellness co-ordinator
Sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same, and unhealthy food choices seem to have crept back to the top of the list in Baker Lake.
Hamlet wellness co-ordinator Karen Yip hasn’t liked a lot of the food choices she’s seen being made since funds from the Inuit Child First/Jordan’s Principle Food Security program were rolled out in the community.
Yip said she’d like to see more people do their due diligence when it comes to selecting food items with the extra food money they’re now receiving.
“I would like to do a community event and talk about nutrition, play games, and, maybe, get people to taste things that they could easily make just by buying the ingredients rather than buying Pizza Pops and Instant Noodles,” said Yip.
“Those are the kinds of items I really dislike seeing people buy. It’s great that people have more money to spend on food, but they’re just buying the same old crap and it’s not healthy and nutritious food.
“Maybe it’s because they haven’t had real exposure to it, or maybe the stores aren’t bringing in the right things, but I think a better effort has to be made.”
Yip said the wellness department would like to introduce folks in the community to a bit more nutritional knowledge and education, so that they can start making healthier choices for their kids.
She said part of the nutritional disconnect, in her own opinion, might be the fact that there hasn’t been a lengthy history of home cooking in the community.
“I learned to cook from my mom who, as a homemaker, was always providing home-cooked meals right from scratch.
“I don’t know if many people had that opportunity here, especially with the historic nomadic lifestyle.
“Prenatal nutrition and similar programs help people to learn a little bit more about what you can do with basic foods, and do it without all the processed and ultra-processed items that people are using these days.
“Part of the way of the world today, too, is that people are busy and they just want to grab something quick and easy, but we have to find ways to start serving the kids more healthy and nutritious meals. That will benefit everyone in the long run.”
Darrell Greer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Kivalliq News
