Hamilton
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ON-- April 3, 2006 -- Looking for a healthier alternative to donuts or cookies for that morning meeting? Wondering what to order for a catered lunch networking session? The City of Hamilton’s Healthy Food Guidelines for Food Served at Workplace Functions can help you.
The guidelines give examples of suitable healthy foods that can be offered at workplace functions. Options are listed for breakfasts, salads, sandwiches, hot meals, desserts, snacks, and beverages. The guidelines also suggest how to choose a caterer or food supplier, address delivery and food service issues as well as preparation and cleanup.
“Using the healthy eating guidelines provides employees or clients with a choice of what to eat. It doesn’t mean you can’t serve unhealthy foods,” says Lisa Beaudoin, a Workplace Health Promotion Specialist with the City of Hamilton's Public Health Services, “It just means that employees or clients healthy eating plan will not be jeopardized by what is served at work.”
Canadians are extremely interested in nutrition. According to the National Institute of Nutrition, 85 percent of Canadians consider nutrition to be important when deciding what to eat. However, an Ipsos Reid survey found that despite their willingness to make healthful changes in their diet, half of Canadians find it difficult to do so. Four in ten Canadians agree that “life is so hectic they find it hard to include healthier food options on a daily basis”. Workplaces can help employees and clients stick to their healthy eating plans by offering healthy foods outlined in the guidelines.
Workplaces will benefit from using the Healthy Food Guidelines during workplace functions in several ways:
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Allowing employees and clients to make healthier food choices can help decrease their risk of health problems.
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Offering healthier food choices will be appreciated by people trying to lose or maintain weight and those who have special dietary needs. They will be able to eat the healthier food choices and won’t be tempted to break their healthy eating plan.
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Ordering or serving healthier food options doesn’t take any more time than offering unhealthy food choices.
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Costs can be reasonable if the healthier food choices are in season (i.e. basket of apples in the fall).
The Healthy Food Guidelines for Food Served at Workplace Functions is available by contacting Lisa Beaudoin at 905-546-2424 ext. 3065 or lbeaudoi@hamilton.ca (printed quantities limited, PDF file 585 KB). The guidelines are also available for download at www.hamilton.ca/workplace.
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PSA Contact:
Lisa Beaudoin
Workplace Health Promotion Specialist 905 546-2424 ext. 3065