Canada’s Food Guide

Changes in Canadian diets since the nineteenth century reflect our changing knowledge of food and nutrition. The federal government has also played an active role in encouraging Canadians to eat well.

Since it was first introduced in 1942 as a means of promoting healthy eating during wartime rationing, Canada’s food guide has undergone a number of revisions reflecting changes in nutritional science and popular taste. This guide has always helped us select the amounts and types of foods that are considered essential to a healthy diet.

The 2007 Canada’s Food Guide
(external link: Health Canada)

Compare the two food guides.
Note that the earlier version of the guide emphasizes the minimum amount of food needed to meet nutritional requirements, based on foods that were readily available at the time.

In the 2007 guide, the selections of foods have broadened to reflect the wide range of foods now available, and the increasing diversity of Canada’s population. In addition, the newer version provides a recommended number of daily food guide servings, based on age and gender.

Canada's Food Guides from 1942 to 1992
(external link: Health Canada)