Enjoying traditional and cultural foods is part of healthy eating. Food has always been a big part of the culture in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). Although it is common to think of wild game meat and fish as traditional foods here, root vegetables are also staple foods.

Next time you are cooking moose or fish, think about the vegetable side dishes you have on hand to add extra flavour, variety, and colour to your meal. There are lots of ways to enjoy traditional meals with added vegetables you may not consider such as squash, asparagus, green peas, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, or corn.

Cold plates are another common NL meal. Cold plates come with different cold salads, such as potato or macaroni and other delicious items. Next time you have a cold plate, try adding other vegetables such as a carrot coleslaw or a broccoli salad.

NL has a rich food culture that includes fishing, hunting, gardening, foraging and preserving foods. It is important to preserve and expand on this traditional food knowledge for future generations. Check out these videos from Food First NL on seniors’ traditional food knowledge.

It is important to give young people the opportunity to learn traditional foodways so the knowledge is not lost. Involving children and youth in traditional food activities and meal preparation is a great way to make memories and enjoy the social aspects of food. Passing knowledge to future generations can happen in many ways, such as:

• Hands on experiences like helping in the kitchen to prepare meals (e.g., washing, peeling, chopping vegetables) or learning to preserve food (e.g., bottling/canning, freezing).
• Activities like berry picking , where they can be engaged in learning where and how to pick the berries, and then how to store them or prepare a meal or snack with them.
• Creating a family recipe book together.
• Storytelling – Young people can listen to stories about foods when they are helping to prepare them, or while they are eating the foods or engaged in other food activities. Listening to stories related to traditional foods is also a great way for children and youth to make connections to the meals, recipes, and activities to which they have been exposed.