Healthy Meetings

I really didn’t want to use those two words, “Healthy Meetings”. People might go into culture shock, NO DONUTS?? I prefer to call them gut bombs, they don’t sit well with me and I avoid them, unless there is a good jelly donut, I may eat one once a year. But, I digress.

No matter if you work outside the home, in an office or if you are retired, are a stay at home parent, unemployed seeking gainful employment. We all find ourselves in a social situation where food is served, for our enjoyment. Food is a social experience. I have met few people in my life who only eat because they have to, I am not one of them and frankly, I don’t understand it. But again, I digress.

Volumes have been written on the culture of food, there is a three hour PBS DVD on the topic. Food is a social thing. It shows that we are hospitable, friendly, and gracious.

We live in a world where the food spread at most meetings consist of high calorie, high fat, sugary sweet foods that are so bad for us. We have come to expect it. Those foods are generally less expensive to serve and they are readily available and require little preparation and have a long shelf life, lots of things that we cannot pronounce are added to them, for example: butylated hydroxytoluene, can you say it? It is used in foods to preserve fats, better known as BHT. Uck.

People will eat what is spread out for them at a meeting, whether it is good or bad for them. There are some die hards who will go without rather than take the donut. I try to scope out the lesser of the evils or, bring my own snacks (fly on an airplane lately)?

Junk food is like junk TV. You will watch what is on for the sake of watching TV, even if you don’t like the offerings. You will eat what is set out, even if it would not be your first choice, it’s food, it’s there, it’s a meeting or a social setting.

Want to help with a culture shift?

· We want to encourage those meeting planners to serve fresh fruits, whole grain baked goods, low fat options that are appealing and delicious, well, just plain healthy foods.
· You can offer to help with the planning.
· Help with shopping.
· Be considerate of people with diabetes or other dietary restrictions.
· There are probably others who would appreciate some healthful options.
· Suggest a walking meeting, everyone brings walking shoes and you can walk and meet at the same time.
http://www.chipolicy.org/pdf/5678.Walking%20Final%20After%20Public%20HW.pdf

Around my office we celebrate birthdays on a regular basis. The birthday honoree can request what they would like, fresh fruit, veggie trays, low fat treats, cake, ice cream. One thing I realized is, I DON’T HAVE TO EAT IT just because it is there. When there are three birthdays in a row, and it does happen, one can overdose on sweet and fattening treats. I gave myself permission to join in the festivities without eating.

How to change the meeting culture from donuts to yogurts? I spent time this morning trying to find some general information on this subject, no luck. I did consult with a co-worker, Linda, who is in the know, her answer was, small changes, AKA, baby steps.

You don’t want to force people to HAVE to eat fruit salad with yogurt dip by only offering one choice. Put out those gut bombs, oops, donuts AND fruit salad with yogurt.

· Make the donuts a little harder to access, further back on the table or the far end of the room. Make them look less appealing.
· Put the fruits out front on some attractive plates and make them look even more festive (hey, fruits are colorful and so is strawberry yogurt).

My buddy Linda told me about a project she is working on with a school group. They found that over time, the fruits and “good for you” snacks get eaten and the lonely donuts are left to dry out. Gradually increase the presence of healthy snacks and continue to offer the not good for you stuff too, for those who really want them. You may find that you are getting more converts, coming to the” healthy, I feel good” side. Eventually, you may be able to do away with the high fat, high calorie, bad for you selections.

Office Snacking

If you are in an office, do you have vending machines, “honor” boxes with snacks?
· Ask the person who restocks the machine to put in healthy snack options, or take the machines out altogether.
· More and more of these vendors are getting requests for healthier snacks and accommodating them.
· Create your own honor box.
· One office I know of took turns providing a bowl of healthy options they put out in a common area.
· Bring your own snacks. I like to munch during the day at work. I bring an apple sliced, an orange already peeled and sectioned. Baby carrots are so easy; you can even buy them in individual serving bags. Cut up celery sticks, green peppers. If you must have a dip, put some in a small container.
· Read your labels for granola bars or protein bars. I carry protein bars with me, in case I think I will starve to death before I can eat a meal. They are filling.
· Put together a small bag of nuts with dried fruits. Leave out the M&Ms. If you MUST have chocolate, buy the dark chocolate chips, mini-morsels and throw some in your mix.

Please enjoy the web link below on ideas for having “Healthy Meetings”. Use it; share it with friends, co-workers, even your boss. Maybe put it on the agenda to discuss.

http://healthvermont.gov/family/fit/documents/WorksiteWellness_HealthyEatingGuidelines.pdf
Here’s another link I found, you can print off some FREE colorful 8.5 x 11 posters

http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/NEW/FVMM/posters.htm