Having nutritious options at work can lead to significant improvements in energy and mood. Consuming more fruits and vegetables throughout the day, will keep your blood glucose in check, avoiding crashes in energy. You can get the job done with plenty of energy to enjoy the rest of your day! A study on over 12,000 individuals tracked mood and wellbeing as well as eating habits. Those that consume a large amount of fruit and vegetables noted a detectable change in life satisfaction!
Picture this: you go into work feeling ready to take on the day ahead. You suddenly feel more productive, energized and more focused. Throughout the day, you have a steady stream of energy and you leave work excited to relax. This may sound like a far-fetched idea but, this reality is closer than you think. The entire spectrum of daily behaviors matter, including what we eat, when we eat, and what we do.
Perks of incentivizing better nutrition in the workplace:
- Working, particularly in low-movement jobs, can lead to mindless eating and snacking. Making this a goal at work can increase team-building, friendly competition, and improve everyone’s mood and health.
- Studies have shown an overall improvement in mood and other psychological benefits to eating more fruits and vegetables. Aiming to eat seven to eight servings per day, combined, has shown to measurably benefit life and overall satisfaction. It makes you happier and improves your mood.
- Healthier workplaces decrease absenteeism due to sick days. A healthier individual contributes to a healthier and more “present” workplace.
- It ensures everyone stays focused. Things like dehydration and drops in blood glucose can lead to blurry vision, dizzy spells, and an overall feeling of sickness. By staying ahead of common nutrition deficits, employees are able to feel more productive and leave work looking forward to some well-deserved downtime.
Ways to promote nutrition-forward changes at work:
- Offer the opportunity to participate in a CSA program at work. We know the many added benefits of eating more vegetables and fruit, so offering employees to participate in a CSA program at the workplace makes it easy for employee to achieve their 5-7 servings per day. Research has shown that when a CSA is offered at work, coupled with education about fruits and vegetables, increases home cooked meals by 29%. Furthermore, this study showed that fruit and vegetable consumption was higher too, by about 10%.
- Increase vegetables and fruit in your cafeterias. A recent study published shows the impact of workplace cafeteria interventions can help your employees consume more fruits and vegetables at work. This study shows that 72% of the workplaces had a higher consumption of fruits and vegetables. You can live a healthier and more balanced lifestyle through simple changes every day such as eating a piece of fruit with lunch or having a side salad with your sandwich. What is on your fork matters!
- Hold a Rainbow Potluck. Split the office among the color of the rainbow where they each bring a meal, item, or snack around that color. This will improve camaraderie and allow individuals to engage in a fun way while at work. This also allows for employees to try a new fruit or vegetable.
- Host a Lunch and Learn. Invite a nutrition professional to spark curiosity, teach nutrition basics, and dispel common myths. Individuals are more likely to adopt new trends and habits if they understand the “why” behind it. It can also help you take inventory of your own health goals and actionable steps to accomplish them.
Promote better health practices in the workplace:
Treo Wellness provides a variety of resources! With Treo Wellness, you will have access to the tools and resources that will support you to eat healthy at home, at work or on the go. It’s all available at your fingers tips in your Treo Platform, under the Healthy Eating section. There’s so much to learn from watching cooking videos and trying new recipes. All of these will help you better understand the food environment, learn new kitchen essential tips and more! Interested in learning how your team can benefit from these engaging options? Send us an email with your needs and interests at info@treowellness.com.
Betty Guerrero, RD CD CPT
As the owner and registered dietitian at Eat with Betty, Betty applies behavioral modification models to promote and support sustainable healthy lifestyles. Betty is a Molecular Cell Biologist and Registered Dietitian living in Madison, born in Puerto Rico. She speaks Spanish, English, and Portuguese and loves to work with people from all corners of the world.
Website: www.eatwithbetty.com
Email: eatwithbetty@gmail.com
LinkedIn Link: www.linkedin.com/in/bettygguerrero
