Posted by
Sara on
Thursday, July 17th, 2014 with
8 Comments
Early breakfast meetings are not a favorite of most employees. Getting less sleep, disrupting a normal routine, perhaps drinking too much coffee – not exactly the ideal way to start a productive day. But, sometimes they’re unavoidable: a decision has to be made, a deadline needs to be met, and first thing in the morning is the only time to get it done (usually, before the clients come in!).
And that’s where the actual breakfast part of the equation becomes crucial. If you’re asking your team to come in early, a little thought and creativity in the menu planning can go a long way. Make it worth their while to get out of bed an hour earlier: replace that boring plate of blueberry muffins or the box of sugary donuts (which are like little ticking time bombs of blood sugar crashes) with one of these amazing, global-inspired dishes. Having an interesting breakfast to look forward to makes it a little easier to get out of bed — and lets your employees know you appreciate their extra efforts!
Fruit-filled breakfast pierogi are a tasty alternative to boring old blueberry muffins.
Image source: Flickr user kurmanphotos
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Posted by
Sara on
Wednesday, July 16th, 2014 with
2 Comments
Summertime at the office might be the hardest time of year to stay focused: between sunny weather, people coming and going from vacations, and just long, hot days, there are plenty of challenges to keeping up the daily routine. And while it might seem counterintuitive, providing plenty of group breaks and last-minute office parties might be just the ticket to keeping up productivity!
It’s true: research has shown that taking breaks is good for employee productivity, providing a chance for workers to mentally reset and recharge. Even more, group breaks offer a team the chance to reinforce social bonds and boost camaraderie, whether they need to vent about a difficult client or just voice to a sympathetic ear that it’s tough to come back from vacation to a full inbox.
Strawberry shortcake is a perfect summer dessert for an impromptu office party!
Image source: Flickr user misscrabette
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Posted by
Sara on
Tuesday, July 15th, 2014 with
2 Comments
Trying to eat healthy at work can be challenging enough when you have total control over the food in front of you… but when it’s a group takeout day, or a catered lunch is provided, making smart choices gets even trickier. And no cuisine prevents more temptations than Italian: hearty portions of pastas, savory meat dishes piled with cheese, and creamy sauces make it seem like there’s no possible way to eat healthy on Italian food delivery day.
Bruschetta is a fantastic choice for an Italian appetizer.
Image source: Flickr user naotakem
But that’s ignoring the inherent health benefits of many authentic Italian ingredients: fresh green vegetables, juicy tomatoes, simple olive oil, and flavorful herbs. There are definitely healthy choices to make when it’s time to order Italian, and we’ve compiled a few basic guidelines to help steer you toward a meal that won’t derail your diet — along with sample dishes to keep an eye out for on the menu:
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Posted by
Sara on
Monday, July 14th, 2014 with
Comments Off on Celebrate Bastille Day With These 6 French-Inspired Office Meals Comments
Every July 14th, residents of France — and Francophiles worldwide — celebrate Bastille Day. The anniversary of the beginning of the French revolution with the storming of the Bastille, the annual holiday has been celebrated since the late 1800s, and it’s the perfect opportunity to arrange a little workplace party or luncheon. Even if none of your employees are French themselves, any holiday presents a chance to treat your team to a special lunch, take an hour or so to socialize as a group, and continue to create the kind of fun and lively culture that will help keep your workers engaged!
And staging a French fete doesn’t have to be a complicated affair. We’ve compiled a list of delivery-friendly office meals that you can simply order from a local bistro for your team, keeping the day low-stress and deliciously low-key— although if you want to host a French-inspired waiter race, a preferred Bastille Day celebration in hundreds of cities worldwide, that’s up to you.
The croque monsieur is a crowd-friendly favorite for French-themed office meals!
Image source: Flickr user snowpea&bokchoi
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Posted by
Sara on
Friday, July 11th, 2014 with
2 Comments
If you’ve been trying to eat healthy at the office, you probably have go-to dishes that you can order from a local restaurant or find at the lunch catering table: a green salad with grilled chicken. A turkey sandwich — hold the mayo — on whole-wheat bread. A boneless, skinless chicken breast with a side of steamed vegetables. Bored yet? Here’s one solution: just say no to boneless, skinless poultry.
Don’t misunderstand: lean protein is important to maintaining a healthy diet (lean meaning sources of protein that are low in saturated fat, unlike the juiciest cuts of steak). Protein is essential to staying healthy, and the daily recommendations for the average adult woman are 46 grams daily, with 56 for men — although some nutritionists argue those numbers are significantly lower than what many active people should be eating.
But when it comes to lean protein, we believe that variety is just as important as quantity; without it, you might experience healthy-eating burnout and be tempted to revert to old office habits of pizza, burgers, and burritos. So if your healthy office lunches are stuck in a boneless, skinless poultry rut, it’s time to get inspired! There are so many more fish in the sea. Literally, in some cases.
Eggs and lentils are just a few examples of diverse lean proteins.
Image source: Flickr user zemlinki
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Posted by
Sara on
Thursday, July 10th, 2014 with
Comments Off on How Business Lunches Featuring Healthy Fats Can Boost Workplace Wellness… and Your Brainpower! Comments
Workplace wellness programs aren’t just about fighting the rising tide of obesity, getting employees to quit smoking, and reducing health care costs (although those are all lofty goals). Instead, companies who have really mastered workplace wellness know that it is actually a holistic endeavor: it’s about helping your team be healthy when it comes to body and mind. After all, no matter how much weight you lose, feeling distracted and depressed will end up affecting your ability to do your job.
And while mental health is obviously a complex issue, there’s one very tangible way that employers can help promote it, right in the break room: share the importance of how diet can affect the brain, and make a point of serving brain-friendly business lunches at the office. After all, eating healthy isn’t just about your waistline. The food you eat can directly affect how you think, and how sharp your mind will stay over time. And one of the best ways to eat your way to a healthier brain is by incorporating healthy fats into your diet.
Yes, that’s right — eat more fat!
But don’t reach for the cupcakes just yet. It seems that certain kinds of fats are key to promoting good cognition and protecting your brain as you age. Evidence continues to mount showing that when we eat a diet high in certain healthy fats, we’re actually protecting our brains from long-term cognitive loss as we age, and even from diseases like Alzheimer’s… and even gaining short-term benefits like improved focus and possibly alleviating depression.
Healthy fats are found in salmon, tuna, and avocado – so sushi is a perfect example of a brain-friendly business lunch!
Image source: Flickr user RichardMasoner
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Posted by
Sara on
Wednesday, July 9th, 2014 with
6 Comments
You’ve probably noticed by now that calorie counts on restaurant menus are becoming the norm — and the more information we have about the food we eat, the better. But, new research from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (or CPSI) is shedding light on another health risk that’s lurking in many of the office meals you order from your favorite restaurant: sodium.
And no, sodium is not just something your grandparents should be worrying about. Having too much sodium in your diet, at any age, can increase your risk of kidney stones, headaches, and stomach cancer… not to mention directly leading to bloating and weight gain, thanks to higher water retention (talk about an unpleasant way to spend an afternoon at the office).
Cured meats & cheese are sure to be full of sodium.
Image source: Flickr user heroiclife
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Posted by
Sara on
Tuesday, July 8th, 2014 with
Comments Off on The 10 Best In-Season Fruits and Vegetables to Supercharge Corporate Catering this Summer Comments
Want to liven up your workplace wellness plan this summer? Consider going seasonal on the corporate catering table!
With the Fourth of July behind us, we’re in the heart of summer — and that means that many of the tastiest, sweetest, juiciest fruits and vegetables are at their peak. Summer fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals, along with unbelievably fresh flavor (think of the difference between a tomato plucked right from the vine in August versus one delivered from a hothouse in November).
There’s no better time of year to treat your body and your tastebuds equally well by enjoying the bounty now available at local farmers’ markets — and that also translates to the workplace. Ordering food from restaurants and corporate catering programs that source their ingredients locally is an easy yet impactful way to make seasonal produce the delicious centerpiece of your company’s workplace wellness plan this summer.
A Caprese salad puts the spotlight on lycopene-rich summer tomatoes.
Image source: flickr user Mr.TinDC
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Posted by
Sara on
Monday, July 7th, 2014 with
Comments Off on 7 Delicious Ideas for Paleo Food Delivery at the Office: Looking at Options Across Cuisines Comments
The concept behind the Paleo diet is relatively simple: eat the food your ancestors ate. Fruits, veggies, lean meats, seafood, and nuts and seeds are all fair game, while grains, dairy, processed foods and sugar, beans, and starches are not. Unfortunately, while it’s straightforward to cook for a Paleo diet, dining out or ordering Paleo food delivery can be a little more complicated. Grains and sugars are practically essential items at most restaurants, which can make it hard for Paleo eaters to socialize during office meals or group takeout orders.
Hard, but not impossible! Here’s our guide to Paleo food delivery, so your dedication to eating like your ancestors doesn’t mean you have to stay holed up in your cave… er, office.
Basic Tips…
Don’t be afraid to make special requests! Ask for items to be prepared the way you want them, whether it’s having your vegetables sautéed in olive oil instead of canola or to have the croutons left off your salad. And don’t be shy about saying you’re on a gluten-free diet, even if that’s by choice instead of necessitated by allergy.
Our cuisine-specific suggestions here are broad ones, and every restaurant is different, so you may have to tailor your order accordingly depending on what you see on individual menus.
Paleo takeout is possible! Use our tips to figure out what to order, no matter the type of cuisine.
Image source: Flickr user Krista
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Posted by
Sara on
Friday, July 4th, 2014 with
Comments Off on Tapas 101: Take Your Business Lunches to the Next Level, One Small Plate at a Time Comments
Planning an all-day conference or meeting, and need a menu that will impress your attendees? Forget about box lunches, and don’t even think about pizza (even the gourmet kind). Instead, opt for upscale yet approachable business lunches to keep clients and colleagues well-fed and engaged during a day of long meetings: tapas!
While perhaps associated more closely with a wine bar than a conference room, tapas are actually a fantastic option for the workplace. Many of the small plates are easy to share and easy to eat, making them well-suited for socializing or working right through lunch. Tapas are all about a variety of small portions, so it’s a low-pressure way for people to try new foods without committing to a whole plate of unfamiliar ingredients — while providing a go-to conversation topic for attendees to discuss over lunch. And, if you’re an admin assistant planning a meeting for attendees whose preferences or dietary restrictions you may not be able to determine ahead of time, serving an assortment of tapas practically guarantees there will be something suitable for everyone at the table.
Tapas are an unconventional choice for business lunches – which is what makes them so perfect!
Image source: Flickr user MollySVH
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