What did you have for lunch today? Is it the same as yesterday? And the day before? Whilst being limited and repetitive can make life easier, it is not always the best option when it comes to your physical and mental health.
If a workplace is able to offer office food delivery for its employees with a varied range of foods, it can have a tremendous difference on the individuals and how they feel about the business.
Nutritional value
Whilst we need a lot of things in our diets, the main focus is on carbohydrates, fats, and proteins as these are essential to our overall health. Whilst there are diets that limit our intake of one of these, and this can make us feel good for a while, they are only ever a short-term option, and the ideal diet should combine a balance of all three.
This is usually achieved by eating a diet of balanced meals that includes meat, dairy, fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, and beans. When you are able to eat meals that combine all of these, you will feel satisfied and stay fuller for longer, which takes away the temptation to overeat or snack.
It is important to remember that every food has its own unique combination of nutrients, so by alternating what you eat, you can get that wide variety of nutrients into your diet.
Boredom
Whatever we do in life if we repeat it too many times then it becomes boring. As soon as we are bored of what we eat, we start to look for alternatives and there are often not healthy choices which can lead to mindless eating and overeating. This happens because we feel deprived or because we crave something that we are missing from our diets, making a repetitive diet unsustainable.
Gut health
We need a wide diversity of healthy bacteria in our guts in order to remain healthy, and this can help to protect against obesity, reduce allergies and boost our immune system. By eating a variety of fats and proteins we can obtain a mix of fatty acids and amino acids to help with cholesterol balance, cognitive health, and mood stabilization, which are all important tools at work.
Cultural diversity
Eating a wide variety of foods can mean eating foods that are traditional in other cultures. It can not only help to broaden our horizons but also strengthen bonds with other people in the workplace and lead to a better understanding of one another.
Foods with benefits
Often, the unhealthiest foods are the ones that are quickest and cheapest, so having healthy options on hand can help to combat this. Having a range of salads and soups available can combine huge amounts of nutritionally beneficial ingredients without the hassle of having to make them.
We all know fruit is good for us, but we rarely think about adding it to our diet. However, having a bowl of fresh fruit in reception, break rooms, or even in the office makes people more likely to reach for a banana than a biscuit.
When it comes to knowing what foods to offer, there are a few key ingredients to consider. Almonds have been found to increase focus, green tea can reduce blood pressure and lower cholesterol, eggs are packed with choline which can improve memory and dark chocolate contains magnesium which can relieve stress and anxiety. It has also been found that raspberries, broccoli, and lentils are high-fiber foods that are good for your gut bacteria whilst salmon, turkey and kidney beans are all good for the heart.
The value of eating well
Eating well can have a huge impact on the workplace. By helping to care for the health of your employees you can not only make them feel cared about, but also help to prevent the need for time off sick, and the costs and hassle that this can create for a business.
The food we eat also affects our energy levels, and when these are low it can impact on things such as concentration, memory, and productivity. This will not only affect the work of the individual but also the team around them and the business as a whole if things are not completed on time or not done to the expected standard.
Happy workers tend to be more productive workers, so thinking about mood and mental health is also very important. What we eat has a direct correlation to how we feel in our heads and our hearts, so food can play a huge part in the mental health of a workplace. Our lunch or snacks can act as natural mood boosters that can give us a lift when we need it most and help us to get through the rest of the day.
It is also important to remember that we do not know the financial situation of people, and healthy choices may be beyond their budgets at home. Providing a wide range of foods can help to boost the diet and health of workers subtly and without singling anyone out.
With all of this in mind, it is clear to see that providing a wide variety of foods in the workplace can make a terrific difference to your employees and the work that they do. This can be achieved through vending machines, micro markets, and on-site catering to make sure there is always something different to choose from.
Try offering healthier foods and snacks in your machines or hiring an outside caterer for an occasional celebration lunch to make sure that everyone gets not only a choice of good foods but also the fun, excitement, and bonding opportunities that this brings.
Caring for your workforce can take many different forms, and there can be both hands-on and hands-off approaches. These will all contribute to the physical and mental health of your staff, and in turn, that can change how they work. Providing food that gives a wide variety of choices allows people to make the best decisions for themselves and supports their well-being as a whole.
