Happy New Year! It’s that time of year when the majority of your employees, and maybe even yourself, make the annual vow to go on a diet and exercise regularly. Great! Who doesn’t want to be healthier? That means cutting out the snacks at work, right? Not necessarily.
Eating a snack between meals sustains energy levels, improves mood and keeps employees productive-but not all snacks are created equal.
When selecting snack options for the breakroom, consider healthier alternatives instead of eliminating them all together. Employees feel appreciated, important and supported when you provide snacks, so getting rid of them altogether would be a bad move. Plus, there’s a circle of benefits to providing healthy snacks: healthier people mean fewer sick days; fewer sick days mean fewer healthcare costs; fewer healthcare costs mean more money for food; more money for food means happy, snacking people who can easily stick to their New Year’s resolution without depriving themselves – it’s a win-win!
When stocking your breakroom, there are many options and taste preferences to consider.
Here’s a guideline for resolution-approved snacks:
- Choices, choices: By providing lots of different choices, whether it’s seasonal fresh fruit or dietary options (such as gluten-free, paleo, dairy-free, etc.), you’re letting your employees know that you value their wellbeing and support their waistline efforts.
- No-cost, low-cost: It’s true, happiness is free food. If snack options are free or made affordable, employees can save their hard-earned money while still feeling nourished and appreciated. Tasting events are a great way to bring everyone together and try new, wholesome treats to replace the ol’ standbys of chips and crackers.
- Proper hydration: Aside from full-service coffee, in the breakroom, employees need nourishing hydration to keep their bodies functioning optimally. A water bubbler, is essential, but also stocking selections like flavored water and seltzer will keep everyone drinking up with healthy options.
- Single-servings: Employees will feel more compelled to grab a healthy snack if it’s in an easy, single-serve container. No one wants to be the first one to open the jar of nuts. Keeping KIND bars, Cliff bars, and fresh fruit available and stocked will keep people satisfied with healthy choices.
- Low-carb, high-protein: Snacks are important, but proper snacking is key. In order to reap the benefits and prevent the afternoon crash, pair a low-carb food with protein and a healthy fat. Try jerky, cheese and crackers, banana with nut butter, or veggies with hummus. Have fun and mix it up—variety is the spice of life!
Giving employees access to appealing and reasonably priced snacks when they’re watching their waistlines—and throughout the year—is the key to keeping them sustained and productive throughout the work day. It’s an economical way to take care of your business and your workers. Whether you’re having the breakroom stocked with smart vending machines, electing to have a micro-market in your place of business, or a full blown café, the payoff of keeping a hardworking and hungry workforce happy and feeling supported is worth it.