Real Food

01 What Do We Mean by Real Food? Real food sounds simple, but it is not an official Canadian food category. People often use the phrase to describe foods that remain recognizable... → 02 Whole Foods and Processed Foods: It Is Not All or Nothing The word processed is often used as if it describes one type of food. It does not. Washing lettuce, freezing peas, grinding wheat, pasteurizing... → 03 Understanding Ultra-Processed and Highly Processed Foods Ultra-processed has become one of the most discussed terms in nutrition. It can be useful, but it is also frequently used too loosely. Health... → 04 How to Read a Canadian Ingredient List The ingredient list is one of the most useful parts of a Canadian food label. It tells you what was used to make a... → 05 How to Read the Nutrition Facts Table Canada's Nutrition Facts table is designed to make packaged foods easier to compare. You do not need to memorize every nutrient. Start with the... → 06 Canada's Front-of-Package Nutrition Symbol Explained Since January 1, 2026, many prepackaged foods sold in Canada that meet or exceed specified thresholds for saturated fat, sugars or sodium must display... → 07 Product of Canada vs Made in Canada A maple leaf on a package does not necessarily tell you where the ingredients came from. If buying Canadian matters to you, two of... → 08 What Does Local Food Mean in Canada? Local food can mean different things in everyday conversation: grown nearby, produced in Alberta, bought directly from a farmer or made by a business... → 09 What Does Certified Organic Mean in Canada? Organic is a regulated claim in Canada. It does not simply mean natural, pesticide-free, local or small farm. When a product is represented as... → 10 Fresh, Frozen or Canned: Which Is Better? Fresh produce is wonderful, particularly when Alberta farms are harvesting. But fresh is not the only useful form of fruits and vegetables. Frozen and... → 11 Understanding Added Sugar and Free Sugars Sugar discussions become confusing because several terms are used at once. Sugars occur naturally in foods, sugars can be added during manufacturing or cooking,... → 12 Understanding Sodium in Packaged Food Sodium is an essential nutrient, but Canadians can consume more than needed, particularly through packaged, prepared and restaurant foods. The useful goal is not... → 13 Protein: Looking Beyond the Marketing Protein has become one of the strongest marketing words in the grocery aisle. It appears on bars, cereals, drinks, snacks and foods that were... → 14 Eggs: Labels, Farming Systems and What They Mean Egg cartons can carry descriptions about grade, size, housing, feeding, organic production and Canadian origin. These statements answer different questions. Understanding which claims are... → 15 Milk and Dairy Labels Explained Milk and dairy packages can communicate fat content, processing, Canadian origin, organic certification and other characteristics. A familiar symbol can be useful, but consumers... → 16 Meat Labels: Questions Consumers Should Ask Meat labels can contain information about species, cut, origin, inspection, grade and production claims. They can also contain marketing language. If farming practices matter... → 17 Fermented Foods Explained Fermentation is an ancient way of transforming and preserving food. Yogurt, cheese, sauerkraut, kimchi, sourdough and many other foods rely on microorganisms or their... → 18 Preserving Alberta's Harvest Alberta's harvest can be abundant and short. Freezing, drying, fermenting and canning let households enjoy locally grown food long after the first hard frost.... → 19 Eating Seasonally in Alberta Eating seasonally in Alberta does not mean surviving on turnips all winter. It means understanding when local foods are naturally abundant, enjoying them at... → 20 How to Shop a Farmers Market Like a Pro A farmers market can be one of the easiest places to learn more about your food. You can compare what is in season, meet... →