COLOUR YOUR

PLATEevery day

2016 CHALLENGEFebruary 29 - March 25 2016

www.uwindsor.ca/colouryourplate

Include a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables on your plate for better healthFruits and vegetables fall into different colour categories. Each having its own unique set of disease fighting chemicals and phytochemicals. Incorporating a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables into your meals ensures that you obtain a great range of micronutrients needed for optimal health.

Consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables can:

• Keep the digestive system healthy

• Help you reach and maintain a healthy weight

• Reduce the risk of certain cancers

• Improve your eye-sight and prevent cataracts and macular degeneration

• Reduce high blood pressure

• Reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease

• Boost your brain and your immune system

What is the Colour Your Plate Every Day Challenge?From February 29 to March 25, 2016, the Workplace Wellness Committee is challenging employees to add more fruits and vegetables into their day.

When you sign up for this challenge you will need to keep track of the number of fruits and vegetables that you eat during the day using the “Challenge Log Sheet”. You will earn one (1) point for each fruit and vegetable that you have incorporated into your meals/snacks. Due to the health benefits associated with the various colours of fruits and vegetables, you will earn one (1) bonus point if you consumed at least three (3) different colours of fruits and/or vegetables during the day.

Eating three meals per day is a healthy eating practise, as a result, you will deduct one (1) point for each meal (breakfast, lunch dinner) missed.

At the end of the challenge, submit your log to be entered into a draw. The more fruits and vegetables you consume the greater number of ballots you will receive.

Bronze Silver Gold

Total number of points

0-49 50-99 100 +

Number of ballots 1 2 3

To sign up for the challenge go to www.uwindsor.ca/colouryourplate

An initiative of the Workplace Wellness Committee, co-ordinated by the Department of Human Resources

COLOUR YOUR

PLATEevery day

2016 CHALLENGEFebruary 29 - March 25 2016

An initiative of the Workplace Wellness Committee, co-ordinated by the Department of Human Resources

www.uwindsor.ca/colouryourplate

How to incorporate more fruits & vegetables into your day

During the 20-day challenge, use the following list of suggestions to add more fruits and vegetables into your day:

Breakfast• Stir fresh fruits into your oatmeal

• Add fresh fruit to your cereal for extra flavour

• Eat a vegetable omelette - add mushrooms, onions or peppers to your eggs

• Try a homemade smoothie. You can add three or four different fresh or frozen fruits/vegetables in one drink

• Have a glass of 100% fruit juice

Lunch and Dinner• Add more vegetables to your favourite recipe.

For example, add grated carrots or zucchini to meatloaf.

• Add vegetables to your soup, rice and pasta recipes

• Add vegetables to your sandwich at lunch

• Add vegetables to your meat sauces

• Say yes to salads. Be creative; add a variety of fruits and vegetables

• Add apple chunks, grapes or raisins to your tuna or chicken salad

• Top your baked potato with steamed broccoli, beans or salsa

• Try a stir fry with a variety of vegetables

• For dessert have fruit such as baked apples or fresh strawberries

Snacks• Keep a bowl of fresh fruit on the counter or on

your desk

• Have dried fruit such as cranberries and raisins

• Make your own trail mix with dried fruit

• Cut up vegetables and keep them in the fridge for easy snacks. Make or buy a low-fat dip to accompany them

• Try a 100% juice frozen fruit bar

Eating Out• Ask your server if you can have vegetables for a

side dish with your order.

• Enjoy a side salad with your lunch or dinner

• Order your pizza with extra vegetables

• Order a salad for lunch rather than a sandwich

• Substitute fruit or salad for fries with a fast food meal

Participate in this challenge! Add more colour to your plate for better health! Sign up here: www.uwindsor.ca/colouryourplate

Visit the website for a list of sources used to develop this publication.

COLOUR YOUR

PLATEevery day

2016 CHALLENGE LOG SHEETFebruary 29 - March 25 2016

www.uwindsor.ca/colouryourplate

An initiative of the Workplace Wellness Committee, co-ordinated by the Department of Human Resources

Name: ____________________________________________________________________________

The challenge runs for 20 days (Monday to Friday for four weeks). Use this log to keep track of the number of fruits and vegetables that you eat every day.

Number of fruits and vegetables eaten

+1 Bonus point for eating 3+ colours

-1 Deduct point for each meal missed

= Points for the day

Week 1 February 29 - March 4

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Week 2 March 7-11

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Week 3 March 14-18

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Week 4 March 21-25

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Total points for the 20 days

Level reached: ❑ Bronze (0-49 points) ❑ Silver (50–99 points) ❑ Gold (100+ points)

Submit your log by March 29, 2016 to enter the draw. Email employeeengagement@uwindsor.ca or send by inter-office mail to the Department of Human Resources, attention to Oliga Tserakhava.

Visit the website for a list of sources used to develop this publication.