It’s 3pm, and you know what that means. The Snack Attack! You feel hungry, so you grab whatever is accessible. If you have healthy snacks or a piece of fruit at your desk, then that’s great. However, more often than not, it means a trip to the vending machine, office kitchen or local shop to pick up a chocolate bar, a handful of biscuits or a packet of chips.
As a business, providing your staff with healthy, proportioned snack options will not only benefit their health, it could also have a positive impact on your business.
For a long time, snacking was frowned upon. Yet these days, it is generally acknowledged that snacking can have health benefits.
Keeping hunger at bay: The hungrier you are, the greater chance that you will reach for whatever food is available. Let’s face it – quite often, that will be junk food. However, by choosing a healthy snack, you can keep hunger at bay while adding some important nutrients to your diet, with not too many kilojoules. A filling snack will also mean you shouldn’t be famished when it’s meal time, so you will be less likely to overindulge then too.
Get-up-and-go: A well-balanced snack can not only increase your energy levels, but maintain them for longer. Yes, sugary snacks will give you an energy spike, but your energy levels will quickly drop and soon you’ll be feeling sluggish and looking for another pick-me-up.
Focus: A healthy snack between meals can help to increase focus and performance. People are able to better comprehend and retain information when their bodies are fueled correctly, as well as being more focused and efficient in completing tasks.
Providing healthy snacks can result in benefits for your business as well.
• By providing healthy snacks to your staff, they will recognise that you have their interests at heart, which ash the potential to increase employee motivation and productivity.
• Placing snacks in a communal area will give staff a reason to leave their desk, and taking even a small break from a task can help improve focus.
• This will also offer the chance for staff from different teams to congregate, improving camaraderie and encouraging the sharing of ideas and information.
• Being recognised as a business that actively cares about its employees will help you to attract the best applicants and to retain your best talent.
So, what sort of healthy snacks could you offer your staff? It has been suggested that the ideal snack should consist of about 418 kilojoules (100 calories) and options should include a mix of complex carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats. Perhaps consider:
• In season, filling fruit like bananas, apples and pears.
• Raw vegetables, like carrots or celery, with low-fat dip or hummus spread.
• Individual portions of cheese to enjoy with unsalted crackers, fruit, or pretzels.
• Individual portions of plain popcorn (sorry, no butter or salt).
• Individual portions of dried fruit or trail mix (ensure no one has a nut allergy).
• Low or no sugar muesli, fruit and seed bars.
• Unsalted mixed nuts (ensure no one has a nut allergy).
• Low-fat milk.
• Decaf coffee and tea.
• Green and herbal teas.
• Easily accessible drinking water.
Of course, staff will have varying dietary requirements. So be sure to ask about any food allergies or sensitivities. This will help guide you to choose snack options that can be safely enjoyed by everyone.
So, if you’re considering offering healthy snacks to your staff, remember – the benefits might extend beyond having happy and healthy staff. Your business might start looking healthier too!
Check out COS’ wide-selection of healthy snacks and beverages, and make healthy snacking simple for your staff.
COS tip:
At COS HQ, a large basket of seasonal fruit is available to all staff. The fruit basket is hugely popular, and is usually empty at the end of every day.
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