6 Tips for a Healthier Office Pantry
Your employees are often bombarded by multiple challenges as the day progresses, and as their employer, you can support them by promoting health and wellbeing at work - starting with what they choose to eat from your pantry to fuel their minds and bodies.
But how do you go about rethinking what goes into your office pantry? We’ve curated a few tips to take stock of how you can satisfy your employees’ meals and snacking needs in a healthy way:
1. Declutter
Over time, the pantry may accumulate unwanted goods, so start with a decluttering session by picking out expired snacks and broken appliances for the trash. Once you have reduced the number of items in the pantry, you’ll be astounded at the sight of space freed up.
2. Poll your employee
Before filling the pantry with office snacks, send out a company-wide survey with some open-ended questions to understand your employees' food culture. Some may be vegetarian, prefer to have organic options, or are intolerant to certain ingredients. This kind of information will help you make informed choices.
3. Focus on real, whole foods
Obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and nutrient deficiency have all been linked to a diet high in refined and processed foods. Hence, it's critical to aim for a healthy, balanced diet that includes more real and whole foods and fewer processed foods. Replacing processed foods (cookies, ice cream, potato chips, doughnuts) with whole foods (unsalted nuts & seeds, fruits, vegetables, eggs, greek yogurt) provides the body with the nutrients required by all to sustain a healthy weight, mind, and wellbeing.
4. Display healthy snacks
It’s human to pick a convenient snack within reach. Therefore, the best way to keep your employees from eating junk food is to put less healthy choices in inconvenient places, while moving more nutritious foods to the front, at eye level or on the counter. For example, place a bowl of fruit at the pantry countertop and keep the cookies and healthy chips in a closed cabinet or drawer. This helps your employees to grab food items that are nutritious, more filling, and help build healthy snacking habits that last a lifetime.
5. Prepare combo snacks
Most prepackaged snacks often contain added sugars, salts, and saturated or trans fats, while being low in nutrients and high in calories, so do check nutrition labels before stocking them up. The ideal snack contains more than just one food group such as fruits, vegetables, protein, grains, and dairy to keep your employees full for longer and stabilize blood sugar levels, resulting in helping your employees keep cravings at bay. For example, have a few nuts (high protein snacks and fat) and fruits (carbohydrates), or try some whole-grain crackers (carbohydrates) with some peanut butter (high protein snacks and fat). These balanced snacks should be enjoyable, easy to prepare, filling, and nutritious.
6. Host a healthy potluck
Organize monthly or quarterly healthy potlucks to encourage employees to eat healthy, home-cooked meals while promoting a culture of wellness in your company. By bringing in tasty, healthy foods, your employees get a chance to try new things and discover that they might like healthier foods more than they thought. At the same time, your employees get to bond with one another, strengthening friendships and meeting people they don’t usually interact with.
Promoting a wide variety of healthy snacks ideas in the pantry speaks volumes about how much you value your employees and their health. Very often, this raises their awareness of healthier options and increases their willingness to eat healthily.
In addition to the above, consider incorporating low-carb snacks into your healthy office pantry. Low-carb snacks are a great option for those who are watching their carbohydrate intake. Some examples of low-carb snacks include nuts, seeds, cheese, and vegetables.
In the pursuit of a healthier office pantry, it’s essential to consider the types of snacks for pantry that you provide. The snacks you choose can have a significant impact on your employees’ health and productivity. By selecting nutritious snacks, you can help your employees maintain their energy levels throughout the day, leading to increased productivity and overall well-being. So, when you’re stocking up your pantry, remember to choose snacks that are not only tasty but also contribute to a healthier lifestyle. This way, you’ll be taking a big step towards promoting wellness in your workplace.
Check out our previous blog “Why Invest In Healthy Eating As Your Office Culture?”
Now that you understand how to support your employees in making positive choices. It's time to put some of these tips into action at your workplace. If you need help in improving your pantry, do reach out to us for healthy snacks to buy or pantry organization tips!