Promoting Healthy Eating in the Workplace 


    There are many benefits to promoting healthy eating in the workplace. Not only do employees report feeling better and healthier, but many have also reported feeling more active, awake, and a major boost in energy and productivity at work. This just compares to the opposite negative, lazy, bloated feelings employee report after having an unhealthy junk food or fast food for lunch. After hearing that employees are more efficient, productive and positive after a healthy meal, which workplace wouldn't want their workers to be eating nutritious meals more often?

    Here are some methods workplaces can use to promote and incorporate healthy eating daily: Conduct educational campaigns, make it easy, make it clear, provide incentives, provide & promote lunch breaks, offer group activities and challenges, bring people together, and offer awards to those who make healthy food choices at work. If employees know the benefits of eating healthy at work, perhaps they would be more encouraged to start making some small life changes in terms of what they eat. 

    Workplaces can educate their employees on the benefits of eating healthy through monthly newsletters, such as this one. It is hoped that this article will act as a first step in perhaps promoting healthy eating at your workplace as well. Here are some more of the benefits: better heart health, reduced risk of cancer, an overall better mood, improved gut health, improved memory functioning, healthy weight loss, easier diabetes management, stronger bones & teeth, & more restful nights. This is proof that you truly really are what you eat. Perhaps your company can even host healthy workshops, webinars, conferences, or cooking classes, etc. that offer employees a chance to learn how to prepare healthy meals. If your organization has its own cafeteria, employers can think about joining a partnership with a heathy restaurant as part of their vendor, so that employees always have healthy choices to eat at work. Vending machines in the office can also provide healthy snacks and drink options for employees as well. It is important to make sure fresh healthy food options should never be too far out of reach for employees such as fresh dairy, fruits, vegetables, and lean protein. 

    Maybe have employees participate in contests or weekly challenges or raffles where whoever eats the healthiest lunches or the most healthy lunches in one week, they get prizes or extra paid time off or bonuses. That will surely increase the number of healthy lunches employees eat per week, month, or even per year. Staff meetings or work parties and functions can all start partnerships with nutritious vendors or catering with healthy food choices such as Panera Bread soups and Subway sandwiches or Olive Garden salads. Employers can show employees that just because food is healthy, it doesn't mean it can't taste delicious as well. The goal is that the intro to healthy eating shouldn't feel forced; rather it should feel like easing into an enjoyable transition of yummy healthy foods.