Healthy Eating Alliance of Prince Edward Island

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Additional Healthy Eating Resources

Meal Planning

Key Points Meal Planning

Plan Ahead

By planning ahead you can choose healthy foods, save time when grocery shopping and save money by buying only what you need. Planning can also save you time from making extra trips to the grocery store.

For planning, choose what works best for you - one day, a few days, or a week at a time.

Use your plan to help make your shopping list (See Grocery Shopping List).

How Does Meal Planning Benefit You?

Let Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide Be Your Guide

Use the Weekly Meal Planner:

Chart | Weekly Menu Planner

SHOP SMART!

Here are a few tips to help you make food shopping easy.

Grocery Shopping List

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What’s Available and When: Canadian Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

What's Available and When: Canadian Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

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Recipes

Breakfast | Snacks | Lunch & Supper

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Monthly Healthy Eating Tips for School Newsletters

September - Packing Healthy Lunches

Summer time is over for another year. It’s now time for kids to go back to school. Start the school year off right with healthy and creative lunch ideas. Here are some helpful tips from the Healthy Eating Alliance.

This Trail Mix is an excellent after school snack (adapted from a recipe in the Dietitians of Canada Great Food Fast cookbook). You can make it your own by throwing in whatever you have around the house or family favourites. Kids should brush their teeth after eating this because dried fruit can stick to teeth and cause dental caries.

Trail Mix

October - Trying New Foods

We’re all guilty of getting into a rut with our food choices. Tuna sandwich for lunch again? By eating the same foods all the time means we may be missing out on certain nutrients - this is true for both children and adults. That’s why one of the key messages of Canada’s Food Guide is to eat a variety of foods from all four food groups. Here are some ways to encourage variety by introducing new foods to children.

Introducing New Foods

Hummus is a low-fat, high-fibre dip. You can buy it already prepared, but this is a really simple recipe that the whole family will love. Tahini can be found in major grocery stores and stores that specialize in bulk products. This recipe is from Dietitians of Canada Cookbook Great Food Fast.

Hummus Dip (Makes 2 cups)

Blend until smooth and top with chopped green part of green onion. Serve with veggies or pita wedges.

November - 5 to 10 a Day During the Winter Months

Winter is quickly approaching. It can be challenging to get affordable, good quality, fresh vegetables and fruit during the winter months. Consider these tips to help you and your family get your 5 to 10 servings a day.

Sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients and fibre. White potatoes can also be used in this recipe, which is from The Ultimate Healthy Eating Plan.

Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes (Serves 4)

Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil. Combine oil and spices and toss the sweet potatoes in the oil mixture. Spread sweet potatoes out in the prepared sheet. Roast for 15 minutes. Flip over. Continue roasting for another 15 minutes or until cooked through.

December - Holiday Eating

During the holiday season sweets and treats are often at hand. Here are some healthy holiday eating tips to get you and your family through the holiday season.

Healthy Holiday Eating Tips

Recipe Substitutions

Nothing sets the mood for holiday celebrations like the smell of freshly baked ginger cookies. The recipe is from the All Recipes website (www.allrecipes.com).

Big Soft Ginger Cookies (Makes 24)

Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Sift together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl cream together the margarine and 1 cup white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls and roll in the remaining sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cook on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

January - Eating Out

Getting children to make healthy choices while eating out can be challenging. Children’s special menus are often filled with high fat, high sugar foods. However, restaurants are starting to introduce more and more healthy choices to their menus. Here are some ways to make healthier choices when eating out with your children.

These chicken burgers are better than anything you’ll find at a restaurant. The recipe is from The Ultimate Healthy Eating Plan.

Chicken Burgers (Makes 6)

Preheat barbeque or fry pan. Use food processor to make bread into crumbs. Mix crumbs and remaining ingredients together in large bowl. Shape into 6 burgers. Grill until cooked through. Serve on whole-wheat hamburger buns.

February - The Most Important Meal of the Day!!

We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Studies have shown that children who eat breakfast are better able to concentrate and have less behaviour issues. They also have less trips to the nurse’s office and are more likely to meet their daily nutrient needs.

Here are some quick, nutritious breakfast ideas to send our students off smiling.

Here’s a great muffin recipe. A good idea is to make a double batch of muffins so that you can freeze some for later.

Apple Crunch Muffins (Makes 12)

Topping

For topping, mix sugar, pecans, and cinnamon together and set aside. For muffins, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into mixing bowl. Combine oil, egg and milk. Add to dry ingredients all at once, stirring just enough to moisten. Stir in apples. Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full. Sprinkle with topping. Bake in preheated oven (375°F/190°C) for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

March - Fabulous Fibre

March is Nutrition Month! This year the focus is on healthy weights. Physical activity and healthy eating are both important for maintaining healthy weights in children and adults. Eating fibre-rich foods is an important part of a balanced diet. A high-fibre diet can help reduce the risk of developing high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and colon cancer. It can also help to maintain a healthy weight. It is important for both children and adults to get plenty of fibre in their diets. By establishing healthy eating patterns as children they are more likely to continue them into adulthood.

What foods contain fibre?

Simple ideas to increase fibre intake...

This burrito recipe is super quick and easy. Try freezing them individually for your own version of fast food. The beans in this recipe can be pureed for a different texture. This recipe is from Dietitians of Canada Cookbook Great Food Fast.

Hurry-Up Fill-Me-Up Burritos (Makes 10)

In a non-stick pan over medium heat, stir together rice, beans, corn, and salsa. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until warmed through. Divide mixture evenly between tortillas. Sprinkle with cheese. Roll up tortillas.

April - Milk Products for Life

Milk products are an excellent source of many important nutrients that work together to promote good health, including strong bones and teeth, for both children and adults. Canada’s Food Guide recommends that children aged 4-9 get 2-3 servings of milk products daily and children aged 10-16 get 3-4 servings of milk products daily. Adults also need 2-3 servings daily.

What counts as a serving?

Does chocolate milk really count?
Yes! Chocolate milk has the same amount of calcium and vitamin D as white milk. Chocolate milk has one third more calories than white milk and the same amount of sugar as 100% fruit juice.

Try this refreshing smoothie recipe from Dairy Farmers of Canada.

Banana Split Smoothie (Makes 3 cups)

May - Water: The Champion of Beverages!

You may have heard that adults need 8 cups (2L) of fluid a day to promote good health. Fluids are just as important for children, but they only need between 2-4 cups (0.5-1L) per day. If children and adults don’t consume enough fluids they may become dehydrated. Dehydration can cause many problems such as headaches and fatigue. Also, dehydrated children tend to have trouble concentrating in the classroom.

Some of the signs of early dehydration include irritable behaviour; flushed face; dry, warm skin; dark yellow urine; cramping of muscles; headaches; dizziness; and extreme thirst.

Simple Ways to Stay Hydrated

Many studies have shown that very few children are drinking enough fluid throughout the day. The best way to stay hydrated is to drink lots of water. It’s the cheapest, most accessible fluid and is effective at replacing lost fluids. Here are some ideas to make sure children are getting enough fluids.

June - Healthy Snacking

Children have small stomachs, which can make it difficult for them to meet all of their nutrient needs in three meals. Snacks are a great way to help fill in the gaps. Some popular snack foods such as chips, cookies, chocolate bars, candy, fruit chews, some granola bars, pop and fruit drinks offer little more than empty calories. When battling these less healthy snack choices it is very important to make healthy snacks the easy choice.

Tips on Healthy Snacking

Healthy Snack Ideas

Try this easy frozen fruit pop recipe for an after school snack - it’s from www.freggietales.com.

Banana Fruit Pops (Makes 6-8)

Blend bananas and juice together. Divide among 6-8 paper or plastic cups. Place in freezer and when partially frozen place a popsicle stick in the centre of each cup. Freeze until firm. Let stand for 5 minutes before removing cups and eating.

Extra - 5 to 10 a Day for Health!

Children and adults need between 5 and 10 servings of vegetables and fruit everyday to stay healthy. Vegetables and fruit contain many vitamins, minerals and fibre that are needed for the body to work properly and to help prevent diseases from developing.

5 to 10 servings may sounds like a lot, but what counts as a serving?

It doesn’t take long to add up, especially if you follow these tips!

Here’s a new twist on an old favourite. This recipe is from Dietitians of Canada Cookbook Great Food Fast. Try serving it with plain yogurt.

Apple Berry Crisp (Serves 4)

In a small bowl combine apples, berries, and cornstarch. In another bowl combine remaining ingredients until crumbly. Set aside 1 cup (250ml). Toss remaining crumble mixture with fruit and place in a baking dish. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over top. Cover and bake in a preheated 375°F/190°C oven for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 10 minutes longer or until apples are tender.

Extra - Safe Food Handling at Home

Food safety is as equally important in the home as it is in a restaurant or any other food service establishment. The food industry is responsible for ensuring food is safe when we buy our food, yet it is our responsibility to ensure that food remains safe by using safe food handling practises in the home. Food safety risks can occur in the home when there are: poor handling/preparation of foods, bacteria contamination of foods and poor storage and refrigeration of foods. Here are some ways to keep foods safe for you and your family.

Did you know...

Food safety tips for packed lunches

Check out the Fight Bac! website (www.canfightbac.org) for more great info!

This homemade muesli mixture is a great breakfast for those on the run. The recipe is from Dietitians of Canada Cookbook Great Food Fast.

Muesli to Go (Serves 2)

Combine oats, yogurt, milk and honey; gently fold in berries and banana.

Extra - Sandwiches: Giving an Old Favourite a New Look

A sandwich is a great way to get three or four of the food groups in one. After years of eating the same sandwich it may be time for a new twist.

For an alternative to sandwiches, give this recipe a try. It’s from Dietitians of Canada Great Food Fast cookbook.

Lunch Box Chili Rice and Beans

Combine ingredients and stir until combined. To serve, eat cold or heat in microwave until hot.

September

Well, summer is over and it’s back to school time and packing lunches! Need some ideas? The Healthy Eating Alliance (HEA) will once again be providing some helpful tips through your school newsletter to help you with this challenging task!

Packing Healthy Lunches

It’s that time of year when lunches have to be made and we scramble for some new ideas that are nutritious and easy to prepare. Here are some tips for packing healthy lunches:

Here’s a sample menu that includes all four groups:

Chicken and Pineapple Sandwich — Chop up left-over cooked chicken and mix with crushed pineapple and a little bit of low-fat mayonnaise. Make a sandwich with whole grain bread, pita or bagel. For variety, add lettuce, tomato or sprouts to the sandwich.

Also include an apple for a snack and some milk, and your child will have a healthy and balanced lunch.

October

Packing Healthy Lunches

Looking for some more ideas on packing healthy lunches? Try these:

Here’s an idea that is filled with fibre, and fun too.......

Halloween Pumpkin Seeds
When you’re making Jack-O-Lanterns or cooking with fresh pumpkins, don’t throw out the seeds. Roasted pumpkin seeds make great snacks that are rich in fibre, Iron, phosphorus and Vitamin A. Fibre helps keep the digestive system healthy and promotes regularity.

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Clean the strings and pulp from the seeds. Place the seeds on a lightly greased cookie pan, sprinkle with a little bit of salt, and bake til golden brown, about 45 minutes. Other variations include sprinkling with garlic powder, cayenne pepper or seasoning salt. Your kids will love eating their Halloween seeds!

November

Strive for Five To Ten!

Fruits and vegetables are important foods for vitamins, minerals and fibre. Canada’s Food Guide says we should eat 5-10 portions of fruits and vegetables each day. That may sound like a lot, but it’s easier than you think. For example, here are some examples of one fruit or vegetable portion:

Here are some ways that you can easily add these portions to your family’s daily meals.

Try this delicious vegetable soup recipe.

Lentil Vegetable Soup

In a large pot, heat oil on medium-low heat. Add cabbage, carrot, and onion and cook for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add turnip, celery, lentils, garlic, seasonings, beef broth and tomato paste. Cover and cook for about 1 ½ hours or until vegetables and lentils are tender. Stir occasionally. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Top each serving with 1 tbsp yogurt.

Recipe from ‘Choice Menus’ by M Hollands and M. Howard. Canadian Diabetes Association, 1993.

December

Variety for Vitality!

You’ve probably heard many times that we need to eat a variety of foods to keep healthy. In fact, we need over 40 vitamins and minerals every day for good health. Since there is no single food that contains all the nutrients we need, it is important to balance our daily choices.

How can you encourage a variety of foods for your family? Here are some tips:

Holiday Breakfast

Merry Christmas! The holiday season is upon us and soon the children will be on Christmas vacation. Make the holiday mornings a special family time with these nutritious pancakes.

Oatmeal Pancakes

Mix ingredients together and cook over medium heat in non-stick or lightly oiled pan or griddle until golden brown. Top with applesauce or maple syrup.

January

Happy New Year!

The holiday season is always filled with many temptations to eat sweets and treats. Now that season has passed, many of us are ready to turn over a new leaf and get back to our regular healthy eating regime.

Growing children often need more food energy then they can easily eat at a single meal. Providing nutritious snacks can provide the nutrients they need to grow, play and learn. Remember to include a variety of different types of snacks to have a balanced diet.

Here’s a healthy snack idea sure to make your child happy.

Fruity Arrowroot Cookies

Spread cream cheese on an arrowroot cookie and place a thinly sliced piece of apple or fruit on top of the cream. Put another cookie on top and eat like a sandwich. For an even healthier option, blend some vegetables such as carrots or tomatoes with the cream cheese.

This recipe idea were submitted by a reader of www.canadianparents.com

February

Healthy Snacks

Without snacks it is difficult for children to meet many of their nutrient needs to fuel their growing bodies. Unfortunately, many children often choose high calorie, low-nutrient snacks instead of more nutritious foods. Here are some easy to make snacks that are popular with kids:

Here’s a recipe for some healthy crunchy granola.

Crunchy Granola

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix. Put mixture into an electric frying pan set at medium heat. Stir for 5 minutes, or until oatmeal turns golden. Cool. Store in a glass jar or plastic container.

Recipe from the Ontario Milk Marketing Board.

March

Go Big on Breakfast!

Breakfast skipping is a problem in PEI among school children. A recent survey in PEI found that 10% of elementary school students are not eating breakfast on a daily basis. By high school, 66% of PEI students are not eating breakfast. Breakfast is an important meal especially for growing children. After a long nights sleep, the body’s energy stores are running low and eating a good breakfast will provide children’s bodies with the fuel and nutrients they need to grow, play, and learn. Kids that eat breakfast are more likely to get the daily recommended amounts of the nutrients they need. Those who skip breakfast have shorter attention spans and do poorly on tasks requiring concentration.

Try these ideas to help your child get the best start to the day:

Here’s a delicious and nutritious pita recipe with a Mexican flavour.

Breakfast Egg Pitas

In a non-stick skillet, melt margarine on medium heat. Add onion and mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Combine eggs, cheese, and seasonings. Add to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes or until eggs are set and cheese is melted. Line pita halves with lettuce leaves. Divide cooked egg among four pita halves. Top each pita with 1 tsp salsa.

Recipe from ‘Choice Menus’ by M. Hollands and M. Howard. Canadian Diabetes Association, 1993.

April

What’s in a Serving?

Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating is a great guide that provides us with information about the types of foods and number of servings we need to keep healthy.

Have a serving of tasty Chili. Here is a great recipe.

Chili Con Carne

In large nonstick skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat until brown and crumbly. Drain off fat. Add onion and garlic. Cook 5 minutes. Add cabbage, celery, green pepper, tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, kidney beans, and seasonings. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir occasionally.

Recipe from ‘Choice Menus’ by M. Hollands and M. Howard. Canadian Diabetes Association, 1993.

May

Beneficial Beverages!

We all need to drink a lot of fluids to keep our bodies healthy. Children need about 8-12 cups of fluids each day. Healthy beverages include water, milk or 100% juice. Over the past number of years, milk intake has declined while pop intake has increased. Pop is a source of calories and little else in the way of nutrients. What is the best way to convince kids to make better choices? Here are some tips:

Here’s a beverage that your kids are sure to enjoy!

Polar Bear Special

Half-peel a banana. Put it on waxed paper and freeze it for approximately 30 minutes. Take the frozen banana out and peel completely. In a blender, combine the frozen banana (you may want to cut the banana into segments) with the chocolate milk. Top with a fresh strawberry. Makes 3 - 125 ml (½ cup) servings.

This recipe idea was submitted by the Milk~Dairy Farmers of Ontario www.canadianparents.com

June

Eating with the Family

Eating together as a family is a great way to enjoy food and to catch up on the days activities. It can also be a good way to encourage healthy eating among your children and help ensure that they get the nutrients they need to grow, develop and learn. Research indicates that family meals are associated with higher quality diets and better choices.

Enjoy these recipes and have a happy summer!!

Homemade Popsicles

For a healthy after school snack, substitute store bought popsicles for one of these healthier alternatives. Your child will enjoy making them and eating them too! If you don’t have popsicle molds, just use a regular ice-cube tray.

Peachsicles

Yogurt Popsicles

Creamsicles

Strawberry Pops

These recipe ideas were submitted by readers of www.canadianparents.com

Healthy Strawberry Shortcake

Summertime will soon be here, and with it strawberry season! But instead of piling your strawberries high with whipped cream, try this low fat version.

Cut up or puree 1 quart of strawberries and add 2 teaspoon of sugar.

Biscuit:

Put dry ingredients in a bowl, blend by stirring and then add margarine and with a fork cut in the margarine, until pea sized. Add milk. Mix lightly and knead for about 10 or 20 strokes on a floured board. Then cut as for biscuits and bake at 450F for about 12 minutes. To serve cut biscuit in half and pour a few tablespoon of strawberry mix over it. Add a tablespoon or two of fruited yogurt as topping. Enjoy. Yummy, easy and healthy!

 

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Nutrition Hot Topics

Key Points

Provides a brief overview of some popular nutrition issues, including:

Did you know...?

You need to drink eight glasses of fluid a day?
You may have heard people say that you need to drink eight glasses of water a day, but really it’s eight glasses of fluid a day that you need. Milk, juice, yogurt, fruits such as melon, oranges, grapes, and soups all contribute to our daily fluid intake (Adapted from Dairy Farmers of Ontario - www.milk.org).

Chocolate milk is a healthy food choice for kids and adults?
Chocolate milk is made from fresh white milk and it has all the nutrients you find in white milk, including calcium and vitamin D. Both white milk and chocolate are considered excellent sources of calcium. Chocolate milk contains about the same amount of sugar as you would find in an equal amount of most unsweetened fruit juices, and it has very little caffeine (Adapted from Dairy Farmers of Ontario - www.milk.org).

Not ALL juice is good for you?
To determine which juice is good for you, be sure to read the label. Look for 100% pure fruit juice or unsweetened fruit juice. This means that no sugar was added. Watch out for words such as “fruit drink”, “punch”, “cocktail”, “beverage” or “ade” (eg. Lemonade, PowerAde). These words indicate that there was sugar added, and that it contains very little fruit.

Kids drink more soft drinks while sitting in front of the TV?
Sitting in front of the television not only takes away time when kids could be doing something active, it’s also a time when they reach for a bottle of pop. Research has found a strong connection between kids drinking more soft drinks and more kids becoming obese. Drinking soft drinks on a regular basis can lead to extra calories and lead to weight gain. Soft drinks also take the place of better beverage choices such as milk or 100% fruit juice (Adapted from Nutrition Buzz- Breakfast For Learning Newsletter, Winter 2005).

Sports Drinks are not great beverage choices for children?
Thirst quenching drinks, such as PowerAde and Gatorade, are not good beverage choices for kids unless they are preparing to do more than one hour of intense exercise. These types of drinks are made to replace the sugar and electrolytes such as sodium and potassium that are lost in the form of perspiration during intense exercising that lasts more than one hour. They contain sugar, coloring agents, and artificial flavours (Adapted from Ontario Child Nutrition Alliance).

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day?
The word breakfast comes from break (meaning stop or interrupt) and fast (meaning go without food). By morning most people have not eaten for 8 to 12 hours - that’s even longer than a school day! Eating a balanced breakfast helps refuel the body with energy after a nights sleep. That’s why breakfast is often referred to as the most important meal of the day (Adapted from Healthy Eating For a Healthy Start Factsheet, Mission Nutrition)

Snacks can be good for you?
Snacks help give kids the extra energy and nutrients they need. Snacks should include foods from 2 of the 4 food groups from Canada’s Food Guide To Healthy Eating. Try to choose foods that are high in fat and sugar less often. Some snacks to choose less often include: candies, fruit roll-ups, cookies, chips, and pop. Remember, snacks can be fun and healthy.

Fast-food can be part of a healthy diet?
In moderation, all foods can be part of a healthy diet. Try to balance a fast food meal with a lower-fat meal later in the day. And, when choosing a fast-food meal, try to make sure you cover each of the four food groups from Canada’s Food Guide To Healthy Eating. For example, instead of having a pop as a beverage, try a carton of milk (Adapted from Dairy Farmers of Ontario - www.milk.org).

Sugar doesn’t make kids hyperactive?
If the kids are bouncing off the walls, don't blame the gummi bears & lollipops. There is no scientific evidence to support a link between sugar intake and hyperactive behaviour in children.

Bouts of excess energy are most likely due to caffeine in soft drinks or chocolate, and the excitement associated with special events such as parties, holidays, and recess. Too much sugar can cause cavities and may displace healthier food choices . Current studies show that children are consuming more soft drinks and other high sugar drinks in place of milk (Adapted from Dairy Farmers of Ontario - www.milk.org).

Dieting... not for children!
Even if children are a little overweight, their diet should not be restricted. They need calories and fat to continue to grow and provide them with energy. It is not wise to restrict foods from the four food groups of Canada’s Food Guide To Health Eating because of their fat content (e.g. higher fat cheeses, peanut butter, whole grain muffins) since they also provide valuable nutrients. The key to ensuring a healthy diet is providing a variety of foods from the four food groups is to balance higher fat and lower fat food choices (Adapted from Dairy Farmers of Ontario - www.milk.org).

Which is the better choice? Margarine or Butter?
Gram for gram margarine and butter contain the same number of calories and the same amount of fat. The difference between the two is the type of fat that they contain. Butter contains saturated fat and trans fat (see below) which raises blood cholesterol. Since butter and margarine both contain few nutrients, they should be used sparingly. A non-hydrogenated margarine is recommended, however when used lightly, butter is an acceptable choice of spread for most healthy people (Adapted from Dairy Farmers of Ontario - www.milk.org).

Trans fats affects your health?
Trans fat is a type of fat that has been shown to raise blood cholesterol levels. They increase your “bad” cholesterol and decrease your “good” cholesterol. Trans fat is made when liquid oil is turned into partially solid fat, which is called “partial hydrogenation”. Trans fats also occurs naturally in some animal products like butter, whole milk, cheese, beef, and pork.

Some main sources of trans fats in the diet include:

Efforts should be made to reduce your intake of trans fats as much as possible (Adapted from Heart Headlines, Winter 2004).

 

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