To learn about the national child care funding in Canada, please click here.
Kids & Company Blog
What’s the scoop on fats?
When you hear the word fat, you may not think twice: eat less of them or none of them at all. Maybe you’ve heard the term “healthy fat” or the ever so common phrase, “good in moderation.” So, what’s the scoop on fats? Well, it’s true, there are such things as healthy fats and like most things, they are good in moderation.

Everybody needs fat to some degree whether you are young, old or somewhere in between. Every single one of the trillions of cells in our bodies is composed partially of fat. Cholesterol and triglycerides, which are the most common fat in food, are what keep our cells as nice little bubbles with all of their contents locked inside. Additionally, fats are the way many vitamins get absorbed into the body. Vitamins A, D, E, and K which are called fat-soluble vitamins can’t do their jobs without fat! Another important job of fat is to make hormones. Hormones are the wonderful chemical messenger that circulate throughout our bodies and control your body’s every process! With so many necessary jobs, it is important not to look past consuming fat.
With all of these great benefits, there are some things to keep in mind about fat. The first thing is that not all fats are created equal. In general, fats that are liquid at room temperature are better. These are also known as oil and are composed mostly of unsaturated fatty acids. Unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are what we like best! Although these fats have the same number of calories as other fats, we consider them healthy fats. Another thing to remember is moderation. It is recommended that in general, fats only constitute 20-35% of total calories for adults and slightly more for children. Combine these two rules together to remember that we must have moderate amounts of the right kinds of fats!

These rules may be confusing, so what kinds of foods should you look out for? Two super important types of healthy fats are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These two types are called essential fatty acids because they can’t be produced in our bodies so it is essential that we get them through food! Some great food sources of omega-3 fats are salmon, avocado and flaxseed. Safflower oil and corn oil are some of the best sources of omega-6 fats! There are also some foods to avoid in excess. Cakes, pies, cookies, biscuits, frozen meals and many other pre-packaged foods often contain tons of trans fats which is best to minimize! Steer away from these store-bought foods and try making them at home so you can control the types of fat in your food! We serve fish every week at the Kidco Kitchen and twice-monthly the kiddies enjoy eating salmon which is loaded with omega-3 fats. The Sassy Salmon Pasta and Tasty Teriyaki Salmon get a big thumbs up from your growing children. Check out our family-sized recipes on our website and create these delicious meals at home for your family.

Remember, fat isn’t the enemy! With so many important jobs and lots of delicious food sources of healthy fats, eat up!
From our kitchen to yours … Enjoy!
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @kidcochildcare and on Instagram @cheflisaruscica!
Cheers,
Chef Lisa Ruscica
Chief Food Ambassador
Posted on: Wednesday November 27th, 2019
Posted by: Lisa Ruscica
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Edmonton
Cochrane
Red Deer
Calgary
Calgary
Okotoks
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Edmonton
St. Albert
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
St. Albert
Edmonton
Edmonton
Sylvan Lake
Edmonton
Sherwood Park
Edmonton
Calgary
Kamloops
Langley
Langley
New Westminster
North Vancouver
Richmond
Vancouver
Victoria
Victoria
Port Moody
Surrey
Surrey
Surrey
North Vancouver
Nanaimo
Surrey
Coquitlam
Burnaby
Port Coquitlam
Chicago
Chicago
Chicago
Chicago
Chicago
Schaumburg
Chicago
Winnipeg
Abington
Canton
Quincy
West Quincy
Braintree
Braintree
Walpole
Walpole
Brighton
Brookline
Jamaica Plain
Jamaica Plain
Cambridge
Needham
Newton Highlands
Newton
Cambridge
Boston
St. Peters
Lake St. Louis
Troy
O'Fallon
Howell Township
Freehold Township
Manalapan Township
Bedford
Dartmouth
Halifax
Bedford
Hammonds Plains
Lower Sackville
Eastern Passage
Aurora
Burlington
Burlington
Etobicoke
Etobicoke
Hamilton
London
Milton
Mississauga
Niagara Falls
Ottawa
Richmond Hill - Corporate office (No child care services)
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Waterloo
Kanata
Oakville
Oakville
Toronto
Whitby
Toronto
Mississauga
Ottawa
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Brampton
Stoney Creek
Toronto
Nepean
Burlington
Burlington
Oakville
Waterdown
Oakville
Pittston
Wilkes-Barre
Exeter
Old Forge
Wilkes-Barre
Dover
Harrisburg
Harrisburg
Harrisburg
Hummelstown
Palmyra
York
York
Abington
Aurora
Bedford (Dellridge Lane)
Larry Uteck (Southgate Dr)
Pine Village South End, by Kids & Company
Braintree 1
Braintree 2
Brampton
Pine Village Brighton, by Kids & Company
Pine Village Brookline, by Kids & Company
Burlington Children’s Centre
Burloak
Appleby
Beacon Hill
Brightstart Burnaby, by Kids & Company
Bow Trail
Eau Claire
Livingston
Midlake
Millrise
Royal Oak
Smart Tech
Britannia Crossing
Marda Loop
Evanston
Beltline
Aviation Crossing
Gulf Canada Square
Royal Oak Out of School Care
Pine Village Kendall Square, by Kids & Company
Pine Village Porter Square, by Kids & Company
Canton
Jackson
Lincoln Park
Harrison
West Loop
South Loop
Fulton
Cochrane
Brightstart Coquitlam, by Kids & Company
Dartmouth
Dover
Eastern Passage
Ellerslie
Edmonton Ice District
Baturyn
Diamond
Friendly Frog
Meadowlark Park
St. Charles
St. Dominic
Sunshine Factory
Tender Heart
Tamarack
Jagare Ridge
Horse Hill
Fraser
Islington
Etobicoke (Bloor & Islington)
ABC Kiddie Kampus Exeter, by Kids & Company
Apple Hill Academy Freehold by Kids & Company
Halifax
Hamilton
Hammonds Plains
Route 39
Schaffner
Swatara
Apple Hill Academy Howell by Kids & Company
Hummelstown
Pine Village JP Revere, by Kids & Company
Pine Village JP South Street, by Kids & Company
Kamloops
Eagleson (South Kanata)
Tyke Town Lake St. Louis, by Kids & Company
Kids World
Langley (200th St.)
London Richmond
Sackville
Apple Hill Academy Manalapan by Kids & Company
Milton
Robert Speck Parkway
Mississauga Gateway Centre
Nanaimo
Pine Village Needham, by Kids & Company
Ottawa Barrhaven
New Westminster
Pine Village West Newton, by Kids & Company
Pine Village Newton Highlands, by Kids & Company
Niagara Queen
North Vancouver
North Van Esplanade
O’Fallon South
Oakville Cornwall
Oakville Dundas
Joshua Creek
Oakville West (3471 Wyecroft Rd)
Okotoks
ABC Kiddie Kampus Old Forge, by Kids & Company
Ottawa Albert
Ottawa Westboro
Palmyra
ABC Kiddie Kampus Pittston, by Kids & Company
Brightstart Port Coquitlam, by Kids & Company
Port Moody
Marina Bay
Red Deer
Richmond
Head Office
Schaumburg
Sherwood Park
St. Albert North
St. Albert Grandin
Tyke Town St. Peters, by Kids & Company
Stoney Creek
Morgan Crossing
Surrey Professional Centre
King George
Brightstart Cloverdale, by Kids & Company
Sylvan Lake
Bloor Christie
Bloor (Bloor St. East)
Consumers
Finch
Front
Wellington
Scotia Plaza
Stock Yards
St. Andrew’s Church
Liberty Village
Rosedale
Queen West
Tyke Town Troy, by Kids & Company
Vancouver West
Langford
Victoria
Walpole South
Walpole North
Waterdown
Tech Town
West Quincy
Whitby
ABC Kiddie Kampus East Mountain, by Kids & Company
ABC Kiddie Kampus King’s College, by Kids & Company
Winnipeg
West York
Queen Street
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Edmonton
Cochrane
Red Deer
Calgary
Calgary
Okotoks
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Edmonton
St. Albert
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
St. Albert
Edmonton
Edmonton
Sylvan Lake
Edmonton
Sherwood Park
Edmonton
Calgary
Kamloops
Langley
Langley
New Westminster
North Vancouver
Richmond
Vancouver
Victoria
Victoria
Port Moody
Surrey
Surrey
Surrey
North Vancouver
Nanaimo
Surrey
Coquitlam
Burnaby
Port Coquitlam
Chicago
Chicago
Chicago
Chicago
Chicago
Schaumburg
Chicago
Winnipeg
Abington
Canton
Quincy
West Quincy
Braintree
Braintree
Walpole
Walpole
Brighton
Brookline
Jamaica Plain
Jamaica Plain
Cambridge
Needham
Newton Highlands
Newton
Cambridge
Boston
St. Peters
Lake St. Louis
Troy
O'Fallon
Howell Township
Freehold Township
Manalapan Township
Bedford
Dartmouth
Halifax
Bedford
Hammonds Plains
Lower Sackville
Eastern Passage
Aurora
Burlington
Burlington
Etobicoke
Etobicoke
Hamilton
London
Milton
Mississauga
Niagara Falls
Ottawa
Richmond Hill - Corporate office (No child care services)
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Waterloo
Kanata
Oakville
Oakville
Toronto
Whitby
Toronto
Mississauga
Ottawa
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Brampton
Stoney Creek
Toronto
Nepean
Burlington
Burlington
Oakville
Waterdown
Oakville
Pittston
Wilkes-Barre
Exeter
Old Forge
Wilkes-Barre
Dover
Harrisburg
Harrisburg
Harrisburg
Hummelstown
Palmyra
York
York
Abington
Aurora
Bedford (Dellridge Lane)
Larry Uteck (Southgate Dr)
Pine Village South End, by Kids & Company
Braintree 1
Braintree 2
Brampton
Pine Village Brighton, by Kids & Company
Pine Village Brookline, by Kids & Company
Burlington Children’s Centre
Burloak
Appleby
Beacon Hill
Brightstart Burnaby, by Kids & Company
Bow Trail
Eau Claire
Livingston
Midlake
Millrise
Royal Oak
Smart Tech
Britannia Crossing
Marda Loop
Evanston
Beltline
Aviation Crossing
Gulf Canada Square
Royal Oak Out of School Care
Pine Village Kendall Square, by Kids & Company
Pine Village Porter Square, by Kids & Company
Canton
Jackson
Lincoln Park
Harrison
West Loop
South Loop
Fulton
Cochrane
Brightstart Coquitlam, by Kids & Company
Dartmouth
Dover
Eastern Passage
Ellerslie
Edmonton Ice District
Baturyn
Diamond
Friendly Frog
Meadowlark Park
St. Charles
St. Dominic
Sunshine Factory
Tender Heart
Tamarack
Jagare Ridge
Horse Hill
Fraser
Islington
Etobicoke (Bloor & Islington)
ABC Kiddie Kampus Exeter, by Kids & Company
Apple Hill Academy Freehold by Kids & Company
Halifax
Hamilton
Hammonds Plains
Route 39
Schaffner
Swatara
Apple Hill Academy Howell by Kids & Company
Hummelstown
Pine Village JP Revere, by Kids & Company
Pine Village JP South Street, by Kids & Company
Kamloops
Eagleson (South Kanata)
Tyke Town Lake St. Louis, by Kids & Company
Kids World
Langley (200th St.)
London Richmond
Sackville
Apple Hill Academy Manalapan by Kids & Company
Milton
Robert Speck Parkway
Mississauga Gateway Centre
Nanaimo
Pine Village Needham, by Kids & Company
Ottawa Barrhaven
New Westminster
Pine Village West Newton, by Kids & Company
Pine Village Newton Highlands, by Kids & Company
Niagara Queen
North Vancouver
North Van Esplanade
O’Fallon South
Oakville Cornwall
Oakville Dundas
Joshua Creek
Oakville West (3471 Wyecroft Rd)
Okotoks
ABC Kiddie Kampus Old Forge, by Kids & Company
Ottawa Albert
Ottawa Westboro
Palmyra
ABC Kiddie Kampus Pittston, by Kids & Company
Brightstart Port Coquitlam, by Kids & Company
Port Moody
Marina Bay
Red Deer
Richmond
Head Office
Schaumburg
Sherwood Park
St. Albert North
St. Albert Grandin
Tyke Town St. Peters, by Kids & Company
Stoney Creek
Morgan Crossing
Surrey Professional Centre
King George
Brightstart Cloverdale, by Kids & Company
Sylvan Lake
Bloor Christie
Bloor (Bloor St. East)
Consumers
Finch
Front
Wellington
Scotia Plaza
Stock Yards
St. Andrew’s Church
Liberty Village
Rosedale
Queen West
Tyke Town Troy, by Kids & Company
Vancouver West
Langford
Victoria
Walpole South
Walpole North
Waterdown
Tech Town
West Quincy
Whitby
ABC Kiddie Kampus East Mountain, by Kids & Company
ABC Kiddie Kampus King’s College, by Kids & Company
Winnipeg
West York
Queen Street