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TUKTOYAKTUK - If you've done any grocery shopping recently in Tuktoyaktuk, chances are you've run into Melanie Keevik and Shelly Wolki. The two are working as interventionists with Healthy Foods North. They have been promoting healthy food alternatives, and it seems that their message is catching on.

Keevik said the secret is to show people instead of just telling them. The women hand out free samples and do in-store demonstrations.

"We let them have a taste test of a fruit smoothie," said Keevik.

She said she could see people going for the ingredients just as soon as they tried the smoothie.

Keevik was letting people know that fruit smoothies can be good alternative to pop for about the same price. She also wanted people to know canned and frozen fruits can be just as good as fresh produce.

Wolki said the lessons seem to be having an affect on the customers.

"They say they can't believe how much fat they're consuming," she said.

Healthy Foods North co-ordinator Lindsay Beck works in Tuk but has been monitoring the program in Inuvik as well. She said Tuk and Inuvik are the testing grounds for this promotion. They hope to launch it in communities throughout the North if it is successful.

"It's not just about healthy foods. It's about lifestyle changes," said Beck.

Phase three of the program is designed to promote both food and exercise. Phases one and two were about breakfast and snacks.

Phase three promotes country foods, which are often healthier than store-bought food. For instance, moose meat has more protein but only a fraction of the fat found in regular ground beef.

Beck said the other advantage to country food is that most people have to go out and get it themselves. Hunting and fishing can get you outside and active.

Keevik and Wolki said there is a lot more to their job than just handing out free samples. They have been putting up labels in stores promoting healthier choices, such as low-fat salad dressing or whole-wheat pasta.

The labels help shoppers easily spot the best choice in a sea of products.

They sometimes talk with store managers about keeping healthy products in stock. Wolki said both store managers in Tuk have been good about ordering more of the products she is promoting.

The two have also been handing out free pedometers, which count a person's strides, as a part of the program. They are encouraging individuals and businesses to challenge one another to see who can walk the most in a day.

Wolki said she feels pressure to walk the walk as she tells others about healthy choices. She said she now serves her kids vegetable trays when they want a snack. Even her husband has gotten on board.

"My husband used to never want salad and now he is always asking me to buy salads," said Keevik.

She said this year for Halloween she plans on handing out Hacky-sacks and erasers instead of junk food. Both women know they have already started to make a difference in their community.

"We feel proud to be educating our people on what they're eating," said Keevik.