The Low-Fat Trap and Add-In Overload: 7 Mistakes Even Healthy Eaters Make at the Corporate Catering Table
Posted by Sara on Tuesday, May 20th, 2014 with Comments Off on The Low-Fat Trap and Add-In Overload: 7 Mistakes Even Healthy Eaters Make at the Corporate Catering Table Comments
Nothing’s better than showing up to a meeting and spotting a great corporate catering spread. Yogurt and bagels for breakfast, a big salad bar for lunch, plentiful snacks and beverages throughout the day — it’s a healthy eater’s dream. Right?
Not all catering table pitfalls are this easy to avoid!
Image source: Flickr user mac morrison
Not so fast. Even the best intentions can be waylaid by a few small choices that add up to an unhealthy day of eating at work. Whether it’s a simple lunch meeting or a structured all-day training session, here are the seven mistakes that even healthy eaters make at the corporate catering table:
1) Going overboard on the add-ins. Choosing a healthy item like yogurt at breakfast or a salad at lunch is wise, but ladling oversized portions of nutritious but calorie-heavy toppings like dried fruits, nuts, and cheese can quickly turn your light meal into a heavy one — without you even realizing it. Stick to proper portion sizes (like a handful of nuts and a golf ball-sized serving of dried fruit) to keep things in check.
A bacon-and-peanut salad is totally a healthy choice… right?
Image source: Flickr user alexanderromero
2) Just because it’s a “good fat” doesn’t mean you have a free pass. We’ve heard a lot about monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats being better for you than saturated ones (one of the tenets of the Mediterranean diet), but again, moderation is key. Nuts fall under this category too, as well as olive oil, avocado, and fatty fish, like tuna and salmon. Good fats should be a small part of your meal, not the centerpiece — that’s what vegetables are for.
3) Filling your glass with juice instead of your plate with fruit. Many fruit juices include added sugar, and even those that don’t are often missing the fiber found when you eat whole fruit. This means you’ll be hungrier than you would have been if you went for the apple instead of the apple juice.
Grabbing a bottle of juice may seem like a healthy choice, but you could be adding in lots of sugar to your meal.
Image source: Flickr user Treeaid
4) Going to the catering table is the only time you get up all day. Sitting for too long has been dubbed “the new smoking” – it’s that bad for you. Instead of stretching your legs only at meal breaks during a lengthy conference, make it a point to take a brisk walk when you can fit it in, or simply stand in the back of the room and do a few stretches a few times throughout the day.
5) You don’t visit it often enough. Eating small meals throughout the day will help keep your blood sugar stable and hunger-signalling hormonal levels in check that might otherwise tell you it’s time to eat — and eat whatever looks calorie-rich around you.
6) Falling for the “low-fat” trap. The low-fat salad dressings, low-fat yogurt, low-fat sandwich bread, and low-fat condiments spread throughout the catering table are usually packed with sugar to help them taste palatable. Better to have a small amount of the real thing than a sugary substitute that will leave you feeling unsatisfied. The low-fat diet was the real dream of the ’90s — and it turned into our obesity-ridden nightmare.
Make a beeline for the box lunches with whole-grain bread.
Image source: Flickr user Molly Elliott
7) Not choosing whole grains. Whether it’s the bread on your sandwich or the rice alongside your grilled salmon, opting for whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa, and other whole grains is one of the healthiest moves you can make when it comes to corporate catering. Whole grains contain more fiber and are digested more slowly, preventing a post-lunch energy crash that can leave you tottering toward the vending machine on your way out the door.
When you’re on the planning side of a meeting or event, there’s no better way to ensure you have a wholesome, healthy corporate catering spread than by contacting Waiter.com! With easy online ordering and prompt delivery, there’s no mistaking our corporate catering services for the best choice you can make.
When it comes to feeding employees and coworkers, make your company's food program really count! If your workplace dining plan needs to take it up a notch — or if you don't have one at all — Waiter.com is here to help. From Virtual Cafeteria Service to diverse menus to local takeout & delivery, Waiter.com offers customizable dining solutions for every business and budget. Contact us today to get started!
