How To Promote Healthy Eating at Work

Food has a direct impact on our performance and productivity. That’s why it’s important to promote healthy eating at work. Many employees snack to stay focused, on task and alert during the workday, as well as to cope with workplace stress. When employees choose healthier options, it improves work production, focus and efficiency while also reducing sick days and even minimizing health risks. When companies go the extra mile to provide employees with healthier food options in the workplace, it indicates a concern for their needs and helps them become their best, most productive selves.

Benefits of a healthy lifestyle

Eating healthy has been shown to improve mental and physical health. It helps increase happiness by releasing endorphins, also known as the “feel good” hormones. Dopamine, for example, triggers a response in the body that reduces depression and anxiety. It also decreases the risk of getting sick through vital nutrients that strengthen your immune system, increase energy and improve the feeling of overall health.

Promoting healthy eating at work

There are many different ways to promote healthy eating in the workplace, ranging from individual employees to company-wide programs.

• Host a healthy eating lunch-and-learn. Use this group activity to educate your employees on healthy eating options and making better lifestyle choices. Choose from a company-supplied meal or provide smaller, nutritious snacks that teach employees how to fuel consistently throughout the workday for optimal performance.
• Bring a nutritionist to your workplace. Invite a dietary counselor to host a one-time or even weekly seminar to teach employees to incorporate better eating habits at work and at home. When budget allows, some larger companies opt to hire a full-time nutritionist for one-on-one coaching as part of a healthcare benefits package.
• Get healthy vending at work. Healthy vending machine options are a great way to remind employees that healthier choices are conveniently available at the press of a button. Healthy YOU Vending provides delicious and nutritious snacks, drinks and meals for employees to enjoy throughout the day—at no cost to your company. Learn how to get healthy vending at work.
• Provide healthy food for company meetings. Having easy access to healthy, delicious snacks, meals and drinks during a work meeting can help employees stay productive. It’s also a great way to keep employees focused during meetings that run long!
• Host a healthy eating challenge. Create an office-wide competition to see who can eat the healthiest. The challenge may encourage your employees to adapt to eating habits that will improve their lives all around, while still allowing them to have fun. Fun prizes can include a weeklong gym pass, workout gear, free healthy vending snacks or a free meal from the side vendor of your on-site, healthy vending machine.
• Provide healthier eating options in the cafeteria. Encourage employees to eat healthier at work by offering a wider variety of nutritious, clean foods in your cafeteria. For companies without a full cafeteria or shift workers who may not have access to a cafeteria during regular business hours, a healthy vending machine can provide the nutritious snacks and meals they need to be productive at work.

Learn more about getting a Healthy YOU Vending machine at your workplace—at no cost to your company.