3 Healthy Menu Options for Healthy Corporate Catering in Sydney
Ever wonder why your team seems out of juice, easily distracted, or less productive at the office? Instead of solely focusing on motivation and company morale, let’s shift our attention to what your employees eat for lunch. Research highlights the profound impact of their eating habits on overall productivity.
In 2012, a study on Population Health Management was conducted involving 19,803 employees from three large companies located in different areas. The research was carried out by Brigham Young University, the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO), and the Center for Health Research at Healthways. The study findings indicated that employees’ unhealthy lifestyle choices could lead to significant decreases in productive work time. Employees who ate an unhealthy diet were 66% more likely to lose productivity than those who opted for healthy menu options on a regular basis.
Interestingly enough, employees aged 30-39 were more likely to lose productivity than those aged 60 and up. Also, office workers were much more likely to say they were less productive than workers in industries like construction and farming. This means that these results could have had a big impact on most workplaces today.
“Total health-related employee productivity loss accounts for 77 per cent of all such loss,” said Ray Merrill, the study’s lead author and a health science professor at Brigham Young University. Surprisingly, this amount is two to three times higher than the annual healthcare expenses incurred by employers. These statistics highlight the substantial impact that healthy menu options can have on overall corporate performance.
In light of these findings, it’s imperative for business owners to prioritise and enhance their efforts to provide their staff with access to healthy menu options. Plus, they should actively encourage their workforce to maintain a well-balanced diet. By doing so, employers can effectively address the issue of productivity loss and improve the overall health and well-being of their employees.
In recent years, health and wellness have been getting more attention at corporate events – especially at corporate lunches. Employers are starting to realise the importance of corporate catering in Sydney CBD to create healthy menu options for their employees; it not only makes them more productive but also cuts down on sick days and health care costs. So, to meet the growing demand, a lot of corporate catering companies now offer healthy menu options.
Healthy menu options
Lighter fare
When it comes to lunch, many people want to eat something lighter and healthier. Instead of fried foods, you could serve chicken or fish that has been grilled, roasted vegetables, or salads with lean protein.
Low-calorie/low-carb menu options
Low-calorie or low-carb menu options can be great for employees to watch how many calories or carbs they eat. This can include grilled chicken or fish, stir-fried vegetables, or salads with low-calorie dressings.
Allergy-friendly menu options
When planning event catering in Sydney for your employees, it’s important to think about any food restrictions they may have. Common ingredients like gluten, dairy, and nuts can cause allergies or intolerances in a lot of people. By making sure the menu has items that are safe for people with allergies, everyone can enjoy a healthy meal without worrying about getting sick.
Here are a few more examples of healthy menu options that can be added to a corporate menu:
- Fresh fruit and vegetables platters
- Whole grain wraps/sandwiches
- Smoothie or juice bars stations
- Fresh fruit and granola on top of Greek yoghurt parfaits
- Bowls of quinoa/rice with vegetables and lean meat
- Baked/grilled meats instead of fried
- Hummus and vegetable platters
- Nutritious snack options, e.g., raw nuts/granola bars
By offering healthy and filling meals as part of corporate event catering, you can help your employees feel better and work better. You can also improve the health and wellness of your company culture as a whole. Think about hiring corporate catering services in Sydney CBD – ones that serve healthy menu options to make sure you’re giving your employees the best options possible.
Enters Boardwalk Catering.
Boardwalk Catering’s Healthy Menu Options for corporate wellness:
Canapés:
– Cone Bay Barramundi – textures of beetroot, pencil leek
– Tasmanian Salmon – celeriac puree, grilled broccolini, herb crumb
– Spiced chicken breast – saffron arancini, baby vegetables
– Canadian scallops – chorizo crumb, smoked corn puree, baby carrot
Platters:
– Cheese platter (consider choosing lower-fat cheeses and pairing them with fresh fruit)
– Antipasto platter (focus on grilled seasonal vegetables and olives)
– Dips platter (choose healthier dips like hummus or tzatziki)
– Fruit platter
Food Stations:
– Grazing station (focus on grilled, marinated vegetables and a selection of cheeses)
– Cheese grazing station (choose a variety of local and international cheeses)
– Antipasto grazing station (emphasise grilled, marinated vegetables)
– Whole baked honey leg ham (choose lean cuts and accompany with mustard and relishes)
Buffet:
– Riverina beef fillet – carrot puree, potato fondant, honey roasted carrots, mushroom jus
– Wild mushroom risotto – porcini stock, sage butter
Plated:
– Roasted duck breast – honey roasted figs, beetroot, pistachio crumb
– Berkshire pork tenderloin – sweet potato puree, spiced apple relish, sweet potato crisps
It’s important to note that the healthiness of these options can be influenced by portion sizes and cooking methods. When making choices, consider incorporating lean proteins, plenty of vegetables, and whole grains and minimising added fats and sugars.
Parting thoughts
Even if a company doesn’t have gyms or cafeterias for its workers, it can still focus on serving healthy menu options to promote wellness and boost productivity. Instead of putting sugary treats in the break room, which may make it hard to remember things and focus, provide nuts, berries, and green tea – which are all considered brain-boosting snacks.
Serve a healthy breakfast once in a while. Rather than serving doughnuts and pastries, the menu should be all about superfoods and healthy snacks like spinach and goat’s cheese flan or mini bacon and egg rolls with BBQ sauce. This will help boost employee morale and help them stay sharp. Contact Boardwalk Catering to serve you healthy office lunches.
Start by putting an emphasis on healthy menu options at the office. From there, the conversation about employee health can spread to the entire company. The experts at boardwalkcatering.com are ready to work with you to build a culture of wellness and a team of healthy, productive, and well-fed employees!
