More Pork, Please! Why Include Pork in Family Meals?
You want a protein source that’s delicious, nourishing, and affordable, one that makes mealtime easier and that your family will enjoy. Pork checks all the boxes!
✅ Delicious and versatile. Pork works in all your family favourites, from sandwiches, tacos, and wraps to pasta dishes, sheet-pan dinners, stir-fries, and kebabs.
✅ Nutrient powerhouse. Pork offers an excellent source of high-quality protein, plus 14 essential vitamins and minerals. These include iron, zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B121—nutrients some children and youth don’t get enough of from their diet.2
✅ Affordable. Pork delivers great value, making it easier to serve nutritious family meals without stretching your grocery budget.
- Health Canada, Canadian Nutrient File, 2015. Food Code 6945. Nutrient claims based on Health Canada’s Nutrition Labelling – Table of Permitted Nutrient Statements and Content Claims 2025.
- Ng A, Ahmed M, L’Abbe M. 2021. Nutrient intakes of Canadian children and adolescents: Results from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 2015 – Nutrition public use microdata files. (https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1138934/v1. Accessed July 17, 2026).
A Simple Way to Build Balanced Family Meals
The goal isn’t perfect meals, it’s getting nourishing food on the table. Use this balanced plate (or bowl) approach as a guide, then mix and match foods your family enjoys.
Balanced Meal
Inspiration
Looking for fresh dinner ideas? These 3 pork recipes make it easy to build balanced, family-favourite meals...even on busy weeknights.
3 Clever
Meal-Prep Hacks
Getting nourishing meals on the table doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch every night. These ideas make meal prep easier, so you can spend more quality time eating with your family.
Cook a big batch of pork once, then freeze it in meal-sized portions so you’ll have a ready-to-go protein for quick after-school snacks and meals.
Try this:
Big-Batch Ground Pork
This lightly seasoned big-batch ground pork makes a great base for all kinds of meals — just add your favourite flavours and ingredients. Makes about 5 cups or 10 half-cup servings.
Check out meal ideas for using Big-Batch Ground pork below and get the recipe here.
TIP:
Learn more about safely storing, thawing, and reheating frozen cooked foods such as Big-Batch Ground Pork from Health Canada.
Make extra pork on purpose and turn one dinner into tomorrow’s lunch. It’s a real time-saver on hectic mornings when everyone’s rushing out the door.
Try this: Cook extra pork tenderloin and slice extra veggies when making this Vietnamese-Style Grilled Pork Tenderloin for dinner. The best part? Tomorrow’s lunch is already halfway done!
✅Bento box: pork tenderloin + barbecue sauce + cucumber + carrots + pita wedges
✅Banh mi sandwich: pork tenderloin + cucumber + carrots + spicy mayo or chili sauce + cilantro/scallions
✅Greek-inspired pork wrap: pork tenderloin + lettuce + cucumber + crumbled feta + tzatziki
Cooking tip: There are many delicious pork options to try from tenderloin to chops, roasts, and shoulder. Learn the best cooking methods for each cut, so your family can enjoy great results every time.
Precooked pork plus a few simple ingredients are all you need to create nourishing meals – fast. So, ditch the takeout menu and try these super-easy meal ideas!
Try this: Roast a couple of pork tenderloins or grill extra pork chops on the weekend, then keep them in the fridge for quick meals. Cooked pork will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge.
✅Fast and fresh pork salad: sliced cooked pork tenderloin + bagged salad + chopped apple + walnuts + prepared dressing
✅Easy pork grilled cheese sandwich: thinly sliced cooked pork in a grilled cheese + canned vegetable soup
✅Speedy fried rice: diced cooked pork + cooked rice + frozen mixed veggies + prepared stir-fry sauce
Tip: Help teens build kitchen confidence by teaching them how to make simple meals such as quesadillas or wraps using precooked pork.
Tasty Ways to Use
Big-Batch Ground Pork
Pair cooked ground pork with ingredients you already have or what’s on sale to make noodle bowls, chili, pasta, wraps, quesadillas, or tacos. You can also use Big-Batch Ground Pork for a head start on these tasty recipes:
Portobella, Egg, Pork Sandwich
Thai-Style Pork Lettuce Wraps
White Bean and Pork Chilli Verde
FAQ's
Absolutely! Try using pork in your family favourites such as chili, stir-fries, lettuce cups, kebabs, tacos, or fried rice for a fresh and affordable take on meals you already enjoy.
Yes. Pork is a single-ingredient, nutrient-rich and excellent source of high-quality protein that helps support your family’s health.1 It provides 14 essential nutrients, including iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and magnesium1 — nutrients some children and youth don’t get enough of in their diets.2 Pork pairs well with vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and legumes to create balanced family meals. Many cuts of cooked pork, trimmed of fat, are lean protein choices.3 And pork tenderloin that’s trimmed of fat is leaner than a skinless chicken breast.4
References:
Health Canada, Canadian Nutrient File, 2026. Food Code 6945. Nutrient claims based on Health Canada’s Nutrition Labelling – Table of Permitted Nutrient Statements and Content Claims 2025.
Ng A, Ahmed M, L’Abbe M. 2021. Nutrient intakes of Canadian children and adolescents: Results from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 2015 – Nutrition public use microdata files. (https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1138934/v1. Accessed July 17, 2026).
Health Canada. Canadian Nutrient File, 2026. Food Code 6945.
Health Canada. Canadian Nutrient File, 2026. Food Codes 1932, 842.
An easy way to help kids get enough protein is to include it at every meal. Aim to fill about ¼ of their plate with protein foods such as pork, fish, beans, chickpeas, Greek yogurt, tofu, eggs, and nuts/seeds. Offer a mix of animal and plant protein foods throughout the week to help children get a wide range of nutrients for good health. A serving of pork (100 grams, cooked) provides 31 grams of high-quality protein, plus 14 essential nutrients.1
Most kids can meet their protein needs by enjoying a variety of protein-rich foods throughout the week — no costly highly processed protein bars, shakes, or powders needed.
Note: The recommended daily amount of protein for healthy kids is about 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight2 (37 kg weight = 37 grams protein/day). Some emerging research suggests that kids may actually need more protein.3 And active youth who train intensely likely need more protein: about 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Counting the grams of protein a child eats in a day, however, isn’t practical. That’s why, in most cases, it’s best to use the balanced plate approach and let your child’s appetite determine how much they eat.
References:
Health Canada, Canadian Nutrient File, 2026. Food Code 6945.
Health Canada. 2006. Dietary Reference Intakes. Reference Values for Macronutrients. Government of Canada.
Elango R et al. Protein requirement of healthy school-age children determined by the indicator amino acid oxidation method. Am J Clin Nutr 2011 Dec;94(6):1545–1552.
Hecht C et al. Nutritional Recommendations for the Young Athlete. J Pediatr Soc North Am. 2024 Feb 12;5(1):599.
