Posted by
Sara on
Friday, March 7th, 2014 with
Comments Off on Meatless Monday: Integrate this Popular Health Trend into Your Corporate Catering Plan Comments
270 pounds: that’s the size of your typical refrigerator, or a North American black bear. It’s also how much meat the average American eats per year, and equates to around three-quarters of a pound of meat per day.
Meatless Monday is sweeping the nation – is your office next in line?
Image source: Flickr User Allio
And with study after study suggesting that a diet lower in meat and higher in plant-based foods can lead to longer life, lower blood pressure, and a smaller environmental impact, many offices, schools, and restaurants across the country are making an effort to reduce meat consumption. You’ve probably heard of one particularly specific and successful campaign: Meatless Mondays.
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Posted by
Sara on
Thursday, March 6th, 2014 with
2 Comments
Consider this your last-minute warning: tomorrow is Employee Appreciation Day.
Wait — don’t groan about yet another Hallmark-sponsored obligation! While we do live in a culture that’s oversaturated with holidays — today, for instance, happens to be National Frozen Food Day — employers would be ill-advised to dismiss Employee Appreciation Day. The concept behind the holiday is certainly far from meaningless (no offense to frozen foods): recognizing the contributions of employees is a valuable action, not to mention mutually beneficial.
Find a creative way to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day at the office.
Image source: Flickr User clevercupcakes
Late last year, a survey conducted by online career site Glassdoor revealed that employees who work for appreciative bosses are more likely to work harder and stay with their current companies longer. Showing appreciation not only creates good vibes in the office, it actually makes a difference in employees’ work habits and long-term career decisions.
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Posted by
Sara on
Wednesday, March 5th, 2014 with
1 Comments
Eating healthy at the office can be notoriously difficult, especially when coworkers team up to order from a takeout place. Most dieters breathe a sigh of relief, however, when we hear that the sushi place is the delivery pick of the day. Fish, vegetables, rice — sushi’s totally healthy. Right?
Miso soup helps make a healthy sushi lunch.
Image source: Flickr user Marisa | Food in Jars
Not so fast. Traditional sushi fare, like sashimi (just super-fresh fish), and nigiri (a small mound of rice topped with a slice of fish), are simple, fresh, and usually quite high in protein and low in calories. However, when you start ordering some Americanized rolls, stuffed with cream cheese and topped with heavy mayo-based sauces, you also start loading on saturated fats and calories.
You don’t need to stick to plain fish and rice to make a healthy office lunch, though, if that doesn’t sound appealing. Most sushi menus are full of smart choices — all it takes is a little planning and, frankly, some common sense. Here’s what to keep in mind as you plan your meal:
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Posted by
Sara on
Tuesday, March 4th, 2014 with
Comments Off on For a Healthy Office, Read the Label: Vitamin D Boosts Employee Productivity Comments
Employers who care about workplace wellness, employee satisfaction, or just plain old attendance rates should take note: the FDA is updating its nutrition labels, and making room for some new featured nutrients. Your office lunches and catering plan should be prepared to follow suit.
The newly proposed nutrition label (left) includes vitamin D and potassium instead of vitamins A and C.
Image source: fda.gov
Late last week, Michelle Obama announced the FDA’s proposal for changes to nutrition labels on food packaging. For the first time in 20 years, the ubiquitous label is getting a face-lift. There’s a larger emphasis on calories, accurate serving sizes, and added sugars… as well as two new players in the “good-for-you” nutrients section: potassium and vitamin D.
On the labels, these two nutrients bump off two star players in the vitamin game: vitamin C and vitamin A. Why? Essentially, according to the FDA, because few Americans consume enough potassium and vitamin D, while the more prevalent (and popular) vitamin C and A aren’t as much of a concern.
This is where employers should start paying attention. This shift matters to you. Research has shown in the past that proper nutrition makes a difference in energy levels and productivity at the workplace, and there’s very good reason to think that vitamin D may be key to healthier, happier employees.
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Sara on
Monday, March 3rd, 2014 with
Comments Off on Build Buzz, Bring the Beads: 6 Ideas for a Fat Tuesday Office Party Comments
Unexpected office parties have a wealth of benefits: they can boost morale, encourage social bonding, and deliver a spontaneous message of employee appreciation. If your workplace could use a dose of fun and festivity in the waning days of winter, tomorrow marks a perfect opportunity… Fat Tuesday!
Add a little pizzazz to the office with a Fat Tuesday party!
Image Source: Flickr User CallMeJag
Although Fat Tuesday is traditionally associated with religious observances — a day of feasting before the forty-day fasting period of Lent, leading up to Easter — it’s become a culturally beloved day of celebration, especially in New Orleans. Embrace the spirit of Mardi Gras and invite your employees to indulge in a little feasting at the office… it may be just the jolt your workplace needs.
Naturally, a Fat Tuesday office party will be a little tamer than the celebrations on Bourbon Street, but the important thing is to emphasize the theme of a little indulgence. Consider it a day to honor guilty pleasures, but without the guilt! Just don’t forget to provide some plastic beads, glittery masks, and a fun-loving spirit to liven up the office for the day.
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Posted by
Sara on
Friday, February 28th, 2014 with
2 Comments
Fruit may be the ideal snack for the workplace. It’s healthy, portable, and sweet. Unfortunately, that last reason is precisely why some dieters have given fruit a bad rap. It’s naturally sweet, because it contains sugar, and sugar is bad for you; therefore, fruit isn’t a healthy office snack.
Let’s be clear, though: the sugar in a cup of strawberries and the sugar in a cup of strawberry ice cream are not equal, either in quantity or quality. The majority of the sugar in fruit is fructose, whereas most processed sweet snacks (and a host of other processed foods) contains sugars that quickly break down into glucose. Glucose is the kind of sugar that triggers a release of insulin, which leads to the spike-and-crash of blood sugar levels and, thus, energy.
Fruit is the perfect office snack for all-day energy.
Image source: Flickr User jessica mullen
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Posted by
Sara on
Thursday, February 27th, 2014 with
Comments Off on 8 Nominations for an Award-Winning Oscar-Themed Office Meal Comments
Celebrate the Academy Awards with a themed office meal celebrating nominees!
Image Source: Flickr User Davidlohr Bueso
If your workplace is more inclined to host an Oscar pool than March Madness brackets, it may be worth planning a special Oscar-themed office meal for the Monday after the big event! Surprising employees with spontaneous celebrations is an effective way to reinforce appreciation and a culture that values camaraderie and teamwork; plus, staff members will likely chat about the night’s fashions, ridiculous acceptance speeches, and awards anyway. You might as well take the opportunity to stage an office-wide celebration! And even if some staff members aren’t big on pop culture, everyone will appreciate the break from the daily grind and a festive Oscar-themed meal.
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Posted by
Sara on
Wednesday, February 26th, 2014 with
Comments Off on Admin Assistance: 12 Ways to Sneak Healthy Foods Into Office Meals & Meetings Comments
There’s a reason Mark Bittman, The New York Times columnist and food writer, relishes referring to the “Standard American Diet” by its acronym — the state of our collective nutrition habits is pretty sad. It’s time to seriously consider how to get healthy foods into our daily diet.
Most people eat no more than three servings of fruits and vegetables a day (if you don’t count white potatoes, which most nutritionists would prefer); the average American needing 2,000 calories a day should be eating nine. We’re supposed to eat about four servings of whole grains per day — but the average American eats less than one. And that average is dragged way down by the 40% of us who don’t eat whole grains… ever.
Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains should be represented at office meals – but that can be tricky.
Image source: Flickr User Shreveport-Bossier
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Posted by
Sara on
Tuesday, February 25th, 2014 with
2 Comments
Looking to improve productivity in the workplace? You might want to start by examining your employees’ coffee and lunch break habits — and encourage them to take more!
A growing body of research shows that taking breaks, especially in groups, can lead to higher overall productivity in the workplace. It may seem counterintuitive, but then again, productivity isn’t a cut-and-dried equation in most offices. Attention, focus, creativity — these very human, very complex factors are what can make the difference between a productive employee and a sluggish one. And behavioral scientists are suggesting (quite strongly) that regular breaks and social interaction can have a direct impact on how effectively employees can concentrate and work productively in today’s office settings.
Employees who take breaks together tend to be more productive. Image source: flickr user seanhagen
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Posted by
Sara on
Monday, February 24th, 2014 with
Comments Off on Eating Healthy on Thai Takeout Day: 4 Tips for a Smarter Office Lunch Comments
Eating healthy at the office can be tricky, especially when your coworkers get together to order lunch from a favorite delivery place. While it’s almost always better for your health to have an actual meal than skipping lunch (or raiding the vending machine at 2 pm), it can be challenging to know what the healthiest options are when you’re talking take-out.
Not all Thai takeout is created equal when it comes to health. Image source: flickr user penguincakes
This is especially true when it comes to Thai food: while most entrees are packed with vegetables and lean meats, and may read as healthy options on the menu, they often come swimming creamy curries or sweet sauces that quickly undermine your good intentions. Choosing a healthy option requires a little bit of knowledge, a few rules of thumb, and, in some cases, careful modifications to what arrives in the delivery bag.
While everyone’s health goals are different — a coworker set on reducing calories may want to order a different office lunch than someone watching their sodium intake — here are four tips that will set you up for success on Thai takeout day at the office. These suggestions are based on dishes you’re likely to find on any Thai restaurant menu, but of course preparation methods and ingredient choices can vary widely!
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