INUVIK - It might not move mountains, but dietitian Suzzane Hajto hopes a new healthy foods awareness program coming to Inuvik's NorthMart will convince some residents to eat more nutritiously.

Suzzane Hajto, healthy eating co-ordinator for The North West Company, is behind a new healthy foods awareness program coming to Inuvik's Northmart in the next week or so. - photo courtesy of Suzzane Hajto

The program centres on a collection of colourful signs, which are due to arrive in the next week or so, and will be posted throughout the Mackenzie Road outlet advertising and providing nutritional information on a variety of staple food products from powdered milk to frozen vegetables to rolled oats.

Hajto is the healthy eating co-ordinator for The North West Company, the parent company of NorthMart and Northern Store chains. She said the program, which will be run in all of its outlets, is a simple way to try to educate people about the benefits of eating well, encouraging them to make healthier choices.

Customers can also visit the company's website which provides a number of simple healthy recipes, such as healthy pancakes and broccoli soup, as well as resource information on healthy living.

Hajto, a registered dietitian for the last five years with experience throughout the North, says she's concerned about the cost of food in the region, especially fresh produce.

She's hoping with the help of the awareness campaign people will become smarter shoppers, for example picking whole over processed foods or going with cheaper protein alternatives such as beans and lentils.

"A bag of oats would be significantly less expensive than prepared breakfasts that are frozen," she said. "But you could feed a family of six for 25 cents a bowl, it's very inexpensive and you could use powdered or canned milk.

There are core staple foods that might take a little bit of time to prepare but are certainly more affordable like rice, soups and stews."

Though the program is in its early stages, Hajto plans to visit Inuvik's NorthMart as well as other participating outlets to conduct interviews with customers, gauging whether the campaign is working.

With the help of other health awareness groups it's her goal to see more people getting back to the basics of nutrition.

"People just have to learn how to cook again," she said. "Buy meats and grains and vegetables and put together a stew that is affordable and nutritious."

Beth Oehler an Inuvik, nutritionist for the Beaufort Delta and Sahtu regions, believes the program is a step in the right direction and supports anything promoting healthy living.

"It's definitely a positive," she said. "We can work together to promote wellness."

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.