« Go Back Offer healthful food alternatives at meetings

Why:

By offering healthful food choices at company meetings and functions, employees have increased opportunities for making healthy food choices at work that, in turn, benefit their health.  Also, offering healthy food choices and alternatives at company functions shows employees that their employer cares about their health and well-being.

How: 

Here is a list of suggestions for healthful meals and snacks:

Breakfast meetings

• Fruit and/or 100 percent fruit juices
• Whole grain cereal and low-fat milk
• Low-fat yogurt
• Whole grain bagels and reduced-fat cream cheese
• Whole grain English muffins

Lunch Meetings

• Baked chicken with vegetables and brown rice
• Pasta with vegetables
• Box lunches: sandwiches with fruit
• Veggie pizza
• Vegetable soups
• Green salads
• Bean and veggie burritos
• Lean meats

Afternoon or mid-morning meetings

• Fruit: apples, oranges, grapes, raisins, 100 percent juice
• Sliced vegetables with low-fat dip or hummus
• Low-fat milk or yogurt
• Pretzels
• Nuts, trail mixes
• Baked tortilla chips with salsa
• Reduced-fat crackers, graham crackers, animal crackers
• Air-popped popcorn

Resources:

• American Cancer Society:  www.cancer.org
  Meeting Well: A Tool for Planning Healthy Meetings and Events
• Healthy Eating and Active Living in Northern British Columbia:  http://healbc.ca/work.htm
• Prevention Institute:  www.preventioninstitute.org/CHI Workplace.html
• University of Minnesota School of Public Health: 
  www.ahc.umn.edu/ahc content/colleges/SPH/index.cfm
  Guidelines for Offering Healthy Foods at Meetings, Seminars, and Catered Events
• Working Well Works:  www.tompkinsco.org/wellness/worksite/