FitPicks Expands To Support Changing Workplace Wellness Trends

Healthy eaters are healthy employees.

They’re also more productive employees — a connection that hasn’t been lost on the 70% of US employers that offer some kind of employee wellness program — many of them Café Services corporate dining services customers.

In fact, studies show that employees with poor eating habits are 66% MORE likely to show a decline in productivity than their co-workers who eat the right balance of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins and low fat foods.

They’re also at a higher risk of becoming overweight; a condition that describes over 35% of the US adult population and is linked to a variety of health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and arthritis.

Work Is A Convenient Place To Develop Healthy Eating Habits

In their efforts to reverse these trends, Café Services corporate dining services customers are finding that work is a convenient place for employees to get in the habit of eating a balanced diet — a vital part of a healthy lifestyle. They’re discovering that when healthy choices are convenient, people are more likely to try it, and stick with it.

Because the corporate café is a common gathering spot for most employees, our customers look to Café Services as an integral partner in their wellness initiatives.

FitPicks™ Focuses On Whole Employee

To support customers’ all-encompassing approach to wellness, we’ve expanded our FitPicks offering to focus on the whole employee — not just recommended nutrition guidelines.

“We’ve shifted our emphasis to create a corporate dining environment that encourages people to be more mindful of what they eat, which is key to making it habit forming,” says Amie Hoffman, Café Services Corporate Director of Wellness.

That means combining satisfying, flavorful, balanced meals and healthy snacks with nutrition education, transparent ingredient information and resources to help employees eat smarter at home and when dining out.

4 Steps To A Balanced, Healthy Lifestyle

Providing a balanced mix of nutrition, satisfaction, awareness building and engagement is how Café Services focuses on the “whole employee.”There are 4 core steps that go into the FitPicks healthy lifestyle approach:

1. Nutrition and weight management: Less than 25% of American adults eat enough fruit and about 10% don’t get enough vegetables. Packed with disease-fighting antioxidants, fruits and veggies are vital to maintaining a healthy weight and make up 50% of our FitPicks plates. Calorie counts top out at 600 for FitPicks entrees; FitPicks deli and grill choices contain 500 or less calories.
2. Superior flavor and satisfaction: A nutritious meal provides little value if it doesn’t taste good or leaves diners hungry an hour later. FitPicks choices aim to satisfy by pumping up the nutritional value of diners’ favorite Café Services recipes — and complementing produce with a balanced mix of wholesome carbohydrates and energy boosting proteins. In moderate portions, whole grains and lean proteins offer many health benefits and keep diners fuller, longer.
3. Flavor without fat: We season our FitPicks offerings with herbs, spices and heart-healthy dressings to add flavor while keeping calories and sodium to a minimum.
4. Education and Engagement: Healthy habits may start at work; but they can’t make a difference unless employees bring them home. It’s all about making informed choices and staying motivated; so we post signage detailing the ingredients, calories and nutritional values of FitPicks meals. Newsletters and online resources offer convenient tips and recipes for eating healthy at home. To stir up excitement, we can stage cooking demonstrations, nutrition awareness stations and even fun, goal-oriented workplace challenges.

Tailor The FitPicks Approach That’s Right For You

What motivates employees to eat healthier and lead a more balanced lifestyle varies from company to company; but all can gain from the productivity- and energy-lifting benefits that come with a healthy diet. Contact Café Services to learn how we can tailor a FitPicks approach for your company.

I’ve been born and bred corporate dining and corporate catering from the very beginning of my career in the Silicon Valley and now, since 2001 in the Boston Metro Area. While working my way up through the ranks, all the experience has led up to my current position as the Corporate Executive Chef for Café Services, based out of Manchester, NH. I have the privilege to be able to utilize creativity, research and technology to dream up our company’s new culinary programs and custom menus for corporate cafeteria clients and bring them to life. Café Services supplies the resources to ensure success of our ever-evolving companywide culinary initiatives and I’m very grateful for the opportunity. Seeing the success of new programs in the field is my motivation. It’s a win win.