WORKPLACE FOOD AND ACTIVITY ENVIRONMENT
ENACT STRATEGY: Healthy Options
Provide healthy food options for employees during the workday and at all meetings
First steps in creating a healthy work environment involve offering healthy food options to employees throughout the day. The quality of in-house food sources, such as cafeterias and vending machines, can be improved by adhering to nutrition standards. However, another food source in the workplace is often overlooked for nutritional quality: food provided by an employer at meetings and other gatherings. In many instances, food is used to entice employees to participate in a company event or meeting.
Characteristics of Healthy Options
Employers can provide healthful, nutritious snacks while still engaging employee participation by:
- Substituting healthier food options for high fat, calorie dense foods,
- Providing a fruit basket with special, seasonal items,
- Using other means to entice employee participation.
“Health Department Staff Create Self Sustaining Healthy Snack Bar“ (PDF)
This article describes the successful effort to provide healthy snacks to employees at a health department in North Carolina. The Community Change Chronicles is a newsletter distributed by Eat Smart, Move More... North Carolina.
The report compiled by the California 5 a Day Worksite Program identifies the best ways to increase fresh fruit and vegetable intake and activity in the workplace as well as other strategies to improve workplace wellness.
“Guidelines for Offering Healthy Foods at Meetings, Seminars, and Catered Events“ (PDF).
The University of Minnesota School of Public Health published this pamphlet offering background, comparisons, and suggestions of how to create a healthy food environment at work.
Endorsing Strategic Alliance’s “Taking Action” platform
This City of Berkeley resolution directs city worksites to provide healthy food options for sale and create opportunities for physical activity on-site.
Clark County Worksite Wellness Nutrition Policy
Recognizing the importance of the county’s role in improving health outcomes of county employees, the Clark County Board of Supervisors established healthy food and beverage purchase guidelines. The policy applies to food provided at all Clark County sponsored events including vending machines, snack boxes, and food concessions.
The Local Food Purchase Policy in Woodbury County, Iowa requires purchase of locally produced organic food by County Departments that regularly serve food.
All public vending machines in any City of Chula Vista facility shall contain 100% healthy snack and beverage offerings. More vending policies available in the ENACT Local Policy Database.
in ENACT Local Policy Database
Nutrition Policy Profiles: Workplace Policies to Offer Nutritious Foods
One paper in a series of nutrition policy profiles created by Prevention Institute for the Center for Health Improvement, this Policy Profile focuses on the responsibility of employers to implement workplace policies to offer nutritious food options to employees.
The Society for Nutrition Education (SNE)
The society aims to “enhance nutrition educators' ability to promote healthful sustainable food choices and nutrition behaviors.” Under the “Resources and Relationships“ link, SNE provides guidelines for workplaces which incorporate food into meetings.