How to Encourage Healthier Office Lunches

Much attention is put on keeping employees healthy in the workplace by focusing on improving their physical fitness and wellbeing. But did you know that their diet can also influence their attitude and performance too? Here are a few top ways you can help encourage healthier office lunches to employees.

Introduce Fresh Fruit Days

Why not allocate one day of the week in your workplace to become a fresh fruit day? Whether it’s Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, select one day in the work week to offer your employees free fresh fruit. This can be a great remedy for those who struggle energy wise through the mornings. Likewise, it also encourages those who don’t usually eat fruit to try it instead of other unhealthy snack options.

Swap Out Vending Machine Snacks

Most vending machines offer those who use them access to an array of unhealthy snack choices. Crisps, chocolate and sweets are all packed full of fats and sugars which can make workers feel lethargic, not energetic once the sugar rush wears off. Try asking your vending machine provider if they can instead swap out sugary snacks for healthier alternatives instead. Fruit, nuts and other nutritional supplements are much better ways for employees to balance their food choices whilst at work.

Provide Food Recipe Handouts

When the clock strikes lunchtime, many workers will feel tempted to walk down the road or up to the shops to grab something quick and convenient for their lunch. For those especially working under the pressures of limited time, a takeaway pizza becomes a lot more appealing than something made from scratch. To help workers with preparing healthier lunches, try printing and distributing some recipe cards or cooking instructions. Perhaps even create a recipe board, where employees can submit their healthy recipe ideas to the rest of the office.

Bring in a Guest Speaker

Due to the amount of different foods, minerals, nutrients and ingredients in the world, its sometimes difficult to determine what we should or shouldn’t be consuming. Booking a guest speaker or arranging for a nutritional expert to speak to employees about food choices could help make things clearer. Hearing the words of someone who is educated in nutrition and healthy living could inspire confidence in employees to develop their own healthy eating plans to benefit their personal and work lives.