FOUR WINNING WAYS TO CREATING A HEALTHIER FOOD CULTURE AT WORK
Many people want to improve their eating habits, and we acknowledge that is no easy feat! It’s easier to control the food you bring into your home, but what happens when you get into the office and there’s a candy-filled vending machine, donuts in the breakroom or pizza and cake ordered for a co-worker’s retirement party?
Focusing on healthier onsite food options helps create a positive work culture and shows your employees that you truly care about their wellbeing, not just the work they produce.
In thinking about behavior change (or adopting new habits) it never needs to be an all or nothing approach. One step at a time will support awareness and not surprise anyone. This can be done many ways:
Set up a meeting with your vending machine provider to discuss swapping out high fat / high calorie options for healthier alternatives. A few to try: Skinny Pop popcorn, dried fruit & nuts, and flavored sparkling water. What’s trending now: There are new service providers in the marketplace, like Greenbean Delivery, who will deliver healthy snack boxes to your workplace. We also love that many employers are offering onsite Farmers’ Markets to make fresh product more readily available to employees. To keep it super simple, begin a “Fresh Fruit Friday” initiative to make free whole fruit available.
Find 3 – 4 healthy catering options for working lunches. Lean toward menus that include whole grains, fresh fruit and veggies and grilled or baked proteins.
Invite new workplace norms. Instead of bringing in baked goods for birthdays and special events, encourage your teams to bring in fresh produce, healthier dips like hummus or salsa, trail mix or to plan a healthy potluck and recipe exchange. Healthy tailgates are currently trending, too.
Start a hydration challenge. Who doesn’t like a competition? Plan and incentivize a water drinking competition to get employees thinking about the importance of staying hydrated. This simple activity is eye-opening as many people don’t realize the excess amount of sugar in juices and soft drinks. Added sugars can cause weight gain and other issues if consumed regularly. Pro Tip: The work environment can either support, or hinder, healthy behaviors. Consider placing a water cooler in a high traffic area – increased visibility triggers increased water consumption!
Motivating your employees to make healthier food choices has a beautiful domino effect. Eating better not only causes you to feel better physically, it also supports a more positive mood. This carries over to how you interact with others. So many wins to enjoy!
Wellness Collective is always happy to help develop these wellness initiatives for you. You can contact us at info@wellnesscollective.com.
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Author: Katy Tombaugh