This fun quiz is designed to test what you know about the food … · What do you know about the food you eat? QUIZ This fun quiz is designed to test what you know about the food

What doyou knowabout the food you eat?QUIZ

This fun quiz is designed to test what you know about the food you eat. How healthy is the food in your supermarket basket or trolley?

1. We should always try to enjoy a balanced diet, which includes mostly: Please tick

a) animal foods: red meat, white meat and dairy products

b) plant foods: vegetables, fruit, cereals, grains and pulses

c) fats and sugars: found in cakes and biscuits

2. Which of the following does not count towards a portion of your 5-a-day fruit and vegetable target?

a) 3 heaped tablespoons of frozen vegetables

b) 3 heaped tablespoons of canned fruit

c) Half a jacket potato

d) Half an avocado

e) 1 heaped tablespoon of dried fruit

3. What is the best time of the day to eat a starchy food like wholemeal bread,

wholemeal pasta or potatoes?

a) At breakfast, so that you burn off the calories throughout the day

b) In the early evening, so that you replenish the calories you have burnt off during the day

c) At any time of the day, as starch helps you maintain stable blood sugar levels and avoid sugar cravings

4. Which of these is known as an ‘unhealthy’ fat?

a) Polyunsaturated fat

b) Monounsaturated fat

c) Saturated fat

5. Which of these contains the most calories?

a) 100g of muesli

b) 100g of cheese and tomato pizza

c) 100g of standard crisps

6. Which of the following would not count towards the recommended target

for eating oily fish at least once a week?

a) Tinned mackerel

b) Tinned tuna

c) Baked trout

7. You are trying to cut down on the fat in your diet. If a food label states ‘low-fat’, what does this mean?

a) Less than 3g of fat per 100g

b) Less than 10g of fat per 100g

c) Less fat than the standard version of the food

86 | Think fit! Eat well!

8. Which contains more fat? Please tick

a) 100g of butter

b) 100g of margarine

c) They have the same amount of fat.

9. Which contains the least fat?

a) Lean red meat

b) Skinless poultry

c) Processed meat products, such as sausages and burgers

10. Some foods are labelled ‘reduced salt’. How much sodium per 100g is ‘a lot’ in a food?

a) 5g of sodium per 100g

b) 0.6g of sodium per 100g

c) 2g of sodium per 100g

11. On average, how much salt do people in the UK eat each day?

a) 1g of salt

b) 6g of salt

c) 9.5g of salt

d) 15g of salt

12. By law, how much alcohol can beer labelled ‘alcohol-free’ contain?

a) None

b) 0.05% or less

c) 1% or less

13. If a food is labelled ‘organic’, by law what percentage of its ingredients can come from non-organic sources?

a) None

b) Up to 1%

c) Up to 5%

14. How much alcohol does a large (250ml) glass of wine with 12% ABV contain?

a) 1 unit of alcohol

b) 2 units of alcohol

c) 3 units of alcohol

15. Many people watching their weight switch to semi-skimmed or skimmed milk. Do you know how much

fat whole milk contains?

a) 11.1g fat per 100ml

b) 7.9g fat per 100ml

c) 3.9g fat per 100ml

Ready-to-use eAT well! actions

The answers to the quiz are on page 88.

Think fit! Eat well! | 87

1 b While plant foods are not the only healthy choices, enjoying a diet based around these foods reduces your intake

of fat and sugar.

2 c Potatoes are counted as starchy foods, not vegetables. Avocadoes do count. However, they do contain fat

and eating too much of any food containing fat can lead to weight gain. The fat in avocadoes is, however,

monounsaturated fat, which has a positive effect on blood cholesterol levels. For a healthy, balanced diet we should

aim to reduce the amount of saturated fat we eat and replace it will unsaturated fats. Dried, frozen and canned fruits

and vegetables all count towards the daily target. Fruit juices only count as a maximum of 1 portion a day.

3 c Starchy foods provide energy that is needed throughout the day, so it does not matter when you eat them.

4 c For a healthier diet, try to reduce your intake of saturated fats.

5 c Muesli contains 330kcals per 100g. Pizza contains 235kcals per 100g. Crisps contain 530kcals per 100g. Portion size

is the key here. 100g of crisps is almost four standard-size packets whereas 100g of pizza is almost one mouthful!

6 b Everyone should be trying to eat at least 2 portions of fish a week as part of a healthy, balanced diet. One of these

portions should be oily fish. Note that canned tuna is not counted as an oily fish because the canning process

removes the beneficial oils. This does not apply to canned mackerel.

7 a The Food Standards Agency recommends that ‘low-fat’ should only be used on foods that contain no more than

3g of fat per 100g of food. Fat-free should mean no more than 0.15g per 100g.

8 c Butter and margarine contain different types of fat, but both contain about the same amount. Whichever you

choose, use it sparingly.

9 b Lean red meat is quite low in fat at 4.8g per 100g. However, if you don’t remove visible fat and the lean and fat

components are blended together (for example with mince), the fat content is much higher. Skinned poultry

contains about 1.3g fat per 100g, but if the skin is not removed the fat content will be much higher. It is difficult to

provide an average for the fat content of processed meat products because they vary significantly from product to

product. These types of products are often high in saturated fat and salt, so checking the food labels will help you

identify the nutritional value of different options.

10 b Salt is known as sodium chloride – 1g of sodium is equivalent to about 2.5g of salt. It’s the sodium in salt that

can lead to health problems. As a rule, 0.6g of sodium per 100g of food is a lot, and 0.1g of sodium per 100g is

a small amount.

11 c Adults should have no more than 6g of salt a day, which is about 2.5g of sodium. And children should have even

less. On average, people in the UK have about 9.5g of salt a day.

12 b ‘Free from’ claims on food labels don’t always mean what you might think, so check the nutritional information

labels and lists of ingredients. By law, alcohol-free beer can contain up to 0.05% alcohol. Beers that contain 1%

alcohol must be described as ‘low-alcohol’.

13 c Not all ingredients are available in organic form, so food producers are allowed to use specific non-organic

ingredients, provided that organic ingredients make up at least 95% of the food.

14 c A 250ml glass of wine at 12% ABV contains 3 units of alcohol. As a standard guide, 1 unit of alcohol is 100mls of

an alcoholic drink at 10% ABV.

15 c Whole milk contains 3.9g total fat per 100ml, of which 2.5g is saturated fat. Semi-skimmed milk contains 1.7g

total fat per 100ml, of which 1.1g is saturated fat. Skimmed milk contains 0.3g total fat per 100ml, of which 0.1g

is saturated fat. It can therefore be labelled ‘low-fat’.

What do you know about the food you eat? quiz

answers


Don’t let the fear of gaining weight deter you from stopping smoking. Quitting smoking doesn’t mean

you will automatically put on weight, and for those who do, the gain is usually small. It can be tempting

to turn food into a replacement for cigarettes, but you can avoid weight gain by finding alternative

coping strategies and by increasing your physical activity level. And remember that the benefits of

giving up cigarettes far outweigh any harm to your health from adding a few extra pounds.


How to

quit smokingwithout gaining weight

Tips to help you avoid gaining weight when you kick your smoking habit

Be more active. Moderate physical activity can prevent weight gain. Try to do at least 30

minutes of physical activity a day on most days of the week. This doesn’t have to be done

all at once – it can be done in short spurts of 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Being more active

will burn extra calories and help to control your appetite.

Take a walk. Walking is a great form of exercise. Not only will it help you burn calories

and keep the weight off, but it will also distract you from smoking, relieve tension and

help improve your mood.

Eat a healthy diet. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. These are low in calories but are a

great source of vitamins. Opt for wholegrain foods which are high in fibre to help control

your appetite.

Eat regular meals. This will reduce the desire for high-fat and high-sugar snacks.

Drink more water. When you find yourself reaching for something to eat, grab a glass of

water or a low-calorie drink. This will keep you hydrated and give you something to do

with your hands.

Keep low-calorie snacks to hand. Quitting smoking can increase your desire for snacks.

Plan ahead and stock up on healthy snacks such as fruit, vegetables, rice cakes, breadsticks,

seeds or a small handful of unsalted nuts.

Watch your alcohol intake. Alcoholic drinks are high in calories. Also, alcohol can

produce breakdowns in self-control that may encourage you to eat high-calorie foods or

lead to a smoking relapse.

Chew gum. If you want something in your mouth, try sugarless gum or sugar-free mints.

Using nicotine replacement gum can also help to prevent weight gain.

If you find you are gaining weight, keep a food diary. This will help you to identify

times when you are eating and snacking more as a replacement for cigarettes. This can

help you identify ‘danger’ times and develop plans to deal with them.

Don’t deny yourself the occasional treat. Remember that the main goal is to quit

smoking. If you want a treat now and again, don’t deny yourself.


Using food labels Using the information on food labels can help us all to choose healthier foods.

But the nutritional information provided on some food packages can be confusing.

In What’s in your food? on pages 91-92 we give information on traffic-light labels which can make it easier to compare

foods and help choose between products. It also explains the ingredients lists and nutritional information found

on food packages.

Information on food labels can also be downloaded from the BHF website bhf.org.uk

How this information can be used in the workplace

• It can be used as part of an information or awareness-raising campaign that you run in your workplace. Make the information

available in places where food is provided throughout the workplace, to allow employees to make informed choices about

the foods they choose. Make it easily available for employees to use at their own convenience.

• The Food Standards Agency website www.eatwell.gov.uk provides information on:

– traffic-light labels (see www.eatwell.gov.uk/foodlabels/trafficlights/)

– nutrition information labelling

– guideline daily amounts

– ingredients lists.

• Challenge employees to select foods within the eight guidelines for eating well given below.

Pick one nutritional target at a time and focus on the health benefits of making a change.

1. Base your meals on starchy foods.

2. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables.

3. Eat more fish.

4. Cut down on saturated fat and sugar.

5. Try to eat less salt – no more than 6g a day.

6. Get active and try to be a healthy weight.

7. Drink plenty of water.

8. Don’t skip breakfast.


Here we explain how you can use food labels to find out more about what’s in your food and help

you make healthier choices.

Today, more than ever, people are questioning the value of what they eat. On a daily basis we are swamped with information

about the value of different foods. And it can be difficult to decide what to buy, because the nutritional information provided

on some food packages can be confusing and doesn’t always make it easy to work out how much of everything we should be

eating to have a healthier diet.

In response to this problem, traffic-light labels on foods have been introduced, to make it easier to choose healthy options.

Traffic-light labelsWith traffic-light labels, you can see at a glance if the food you’re about to eat has a high, medium or low amount of fat,

saturated fat, sugars and salt in 100g of the food, and in a portion or serving of the food. See the example below.


Try to limit foods that have a red light on the

packet, or balance them with healthier options.

These are OK choices most of the time, but try to

balance them with more green options.

A green light indicates a healthier choice. Green

Amber

Red

Traffic-light colours make it easier to compare foods and can help you get the balance right by helping you

choose between products. If a food doesn’t have traffic-light labels, it may have a list of ingredients and

nutrition information.

List of ingredientsSome foods have a list of ingredients. The ingredients are listed in order of proportion, starting with the largest proportion first.

It is worth looking at ingredients lists, as they will tell you a lot about what you are eating. And there may be some surprise

ingredients that you weren’t expecting – like added sugar or salt.

your food?What’s in


Chicken and vegetable bake

Typical values per 100g per 350g pack

Fat 4.6g 16.1g

Saturated fat 2.0g 7.0g

Sugars 3.5g 12.3g

Salt 0.8g 2.8g

Continued on next page

Nutrition information The nutrition information labels on foods must provide

information in line with current legislation. An example

of a nutrition information label for ‘Chicken and vegetable

bake’ is shown on the right.

How much is ‘a lot’ or ‘a little’?

Is the ‘Chicken and vegetable bake’ on the right

a healthy option?

To answer this question we need to assess the nutritional

value of this meal by comparing the values in the ‘per 100g’

column with the figures below.

Chicken and vegetable bake

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Typical values per 100g per 350g pack

Energy

– kJ

– kcal

480kJ

115kcal

1,680 kJ

405kcal

Protein 9.5g 33.3g

Carbohydrate 8.6g 30.1g

Of which sugars 3.5g 12.3g

Fat 4.6g 16.1g

Of which saturates 2.0g 7.0g

Fibre 1.5g 5.3g

Sodium 0.3g 1.1g

Equivalent as salt 0.8g 2.8g

‘A lot’ per 100g ‘A little’ per 100g

20g of fat or more

5g of saturates or more

3g of fat or less

1.5g of saturates or less

15g of sugars or more 5g of sugars or less

3g of fi bre or more 0.5g of fi bre or less

1.5g of salt or more

0.6g of sodium or more

0.3g of salt or less

0.1g of sodium or less

Size matters

But this is only part of the story, because it is the actual amount of food that you eat that will contribute towards your daily

calories and nutritional intake. The important information to check is the ‘amount per serving’ (or, in the Chicken and vegetable

bake example, the ‘per 350g pack’ figure. Use the Guideline daily amounts box below to work out whether you are getting too

much fat, salt or sugar in your food. For example, the ‘Chicken and vegetable bake’ has 7g of saturated fat, and the guideline daily

amount for women is 20g, so it would provide more than a third of the guideline daily amount of saturated fat.

Guideline daily amounts

These are the guideline daily amounts for the most important nutrients listed on food labels.

Men Women

Fat (total) 95g 70g

of which saturates 30g 20g

Salt 6g 6g

Sugar 120g 90g

Fibre 24g 24g

On average, men need about 2,500 kcals (calories) each day and women need about 2,000 kcals. However, the number of

calories you need varies from one person to another. For example, people who are active need more calories, and people who

are trying to lose weight will need fewer calories.


Top tips to eat more fruit and vegetables at work

1. Make the fi rst drink of the day a fruit juice.

2. Use up desktop fruit (fruit you keep on your desk or in a staff fruit bowl) by blending it with yoghurt to make

a fruit smoothie if you have access to a smoothie machine or blender in your workplace.

3. Add some fruit or vegetable to your lunchtime salad or sandwich – for example: melon and ham; cheese and

apple; chicken and mango; ham and coleslaw; tuna and sweetcorn.

4. Add a variety of vegetables to your lunchtime salad to make it more colourful.

5. Chop up a selection of fruit, such as apples, pears and nectarines, and make an interesting fresh fruit salad for

your lunchbox.

6. When making or buying sandwiches, use: thicker wholemeal bread; less meat, cheese or other fi lling; and

plenty of salad.

7. Keep a supply of dried fruit in the cupboard. If you run out of fresh fruit, pack a handful of dried fruit in your

lunchbox instead of crisps.

8. Swap the team biscuit tin for a fruit basket.

Top tips to eat more fruit and vegetables at work

Top tips to help you drink more fluids at work

1. Fill a 1 litre bottle of water at the start of each working day and commit to drinking it all before you go home.

2. Take water with you into meeting rooms and reduce your intake of caffeinated drinks.

3. Remember to take a drink with you when you are on the move as part of your work – for example, on car or

train journeys.

4. Don’t take drinks when team members offer to make them for you. Instead, get up and make your own –

the extra exercise is good for your health!

5. Each time you drink a caffeinated drink, have a glass of water too.

6. Add slices or chunks of fresh lemon or orange to a glass of water to add fl avour.

7. Buy yourself a funky glass or mug to encourage you to drink more.

8. During the summer months, leave a bottle of water in the fridge and refi ll it each time you take a drink.

Top tips to HELP YOU DRINK MORE FLUIDS at work

Top tips for reducing sugar intake at work

1. Fresh fruit is a tasty and very healthy option.

2. Switch chocolate biscuits in meeting rooms for easy-to-munch fresh fruit chunks, or at least provide a choice.

3. If you share cakes to celebrate team successes or special occasions, watch the portion sizes and offer small

‘tasters’ for those aiming to reduce their sugar intake.

4. Avoid buying high-sugar fi zzy drinks from the vending machines.

5. Compare food labels and/or traffi c-light labels, and choose the healthier options.

Top tips for reducing sugar intake at work


Top tips for putting healthy eating

into practice in the workplace


Top tips for reducing salt intake at work

Many everyday foods are high in salt. In fact, three-quarters of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy.

1. Switch to low-salt crisps or snacks or reduce your portion size.

2. Take care with your sandwich fi llings by limiting foods high in salt such as bacon, cheese, pickles and yeast

extract.

3. Check food labels to fi nd out which foods are high in salt. Choose those with less salt. Make use of the traffi c-

light labels that make it easier to choose healthy options. Or check the fi gure for salt (or sodium) per 100g.

HIGH is more than 1.5g salt per 100g of food (or 0.6g sodium per 100g).

LOW is less than 0.3g salt per 100g of food (or 0.1g sodium per 100g).

4. If curry or chilli is on the menu at lunchtime, eat more rice and less curry or chilli. If you have baked potato with

cheese, eat more jacket potato and less cheese.

5. Don’t add salt automatically when you’re about to eat your food. Taste it fi rst.

6. Persevere for a couple of weeks. This is how long it takes your taste buds to adjust to eating less salt.

Top tips for reducing SALT intake at work

Top tips for increasing daily fibre intake at work

1. Switch to wholegrain or high-fi bre white bread for lunch.

2. Add salad and/or fruit to your lunchtime meal.

3. Include at least one fruit or vegetable snack during your working day.

Top tips for INCREASING DAILY FIBRE intake at work



Measuring a healthy weight

This section provides practical information for employees who are looking for help with reaching

a healthier weight. It explains how to work out if a person’s weight is increasing his or her risk of

certain health conditions.

Please remember that weight can be a very sensitive issue for many people and care is needed when deciding how to

present the information to employees.

Calculating healthy weight ranges

There are a number of different methods that can be used to advise employees on standard or healthy weights for adults.

These include:

• Body mass index (BMI) – This is a measurement that considers the relationship between your weight and your height

and gives an estimate of your risk of weight-related disease.

• Waist circumference – Research has found that central obesity (weight stored around the waist) increases the risk of

weight-related disease.

Information for employees on both these methods is given on pages 96 and 97, along with some guidelines

on how to calculate daily calorie requirements for anyone wanting to lose weight.


Being a healthy weight reduces your risk of certain health conditions. Below we explain two easy ways to

find out if you are a healthy weight: body mass index and measuring your waist. We also explain how to

work out the number of calories you need per day.

Check your BMI. Are you overweight?

BMI Action needed

Below 18.5 Underweight Seek advice on a weight management programme.

18.5 to 24.9 Ideal Maintain current levels of physical activity and calorie intake.

25 to 29.9 Overweight Start to increase your level of physical activity and reduce calorie intake.

30 or above Very overweight Seek advice on a weight management programme.

Healthy waist measurements Waist measurement is a good indicator of how your weight might be influencing your health. Men tend to carry extra weight in

the abdominal area. This is known as central obesity and is commonly referred to as an ‘apple’ shape. Central obesity increases

your risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. Use a tape measure to measure your waist. (Measure it at the level of your

belly button.) Then check the measurement against the box below.

Check your waist measurement

Men WomenSouth

Asian men

South Asian

womenAction needed

Healthy

measurement

Less

than

94cm

(37

inches)

Less

than

80cm

(32

inches)

Less than

90cm

(36 inches)

Less than

80cm

(32 inches)

This is a healthy waist measurement, but

if you feel the need to tone up, check that

your diet is well-balanced and that you are

doing enough physical activity.

At

increased risk

Over

94cm

(37

inches)

Over

80cm

(32

inches)

– –

Now is the time to try to lose some weight.

Increase your level of activity and make

some changes in your diet to reduce calorie

intake.

At high risk

Over

102cm

(40

inches)

Over

88cm

(35

inches)

Over 90cm

(36 inches)

Over 80cm

(32 inches)

You need to take some action now as your

weight is increasing your risk of illness

including cardiovascular disease (coronary

heart disease and stroke). Increase your

level of activity and make some changes in

your diet to reduce calorie intake.

Body mass indexThis is a measurement that considers the relationship between

your weight and your height and gives an estimate of your risk of

weight-related disease. To calculate your body mass index (BMI):

1. Measure your height in metres (without shoes) and your

weight in kilograms (without shoes).

2. Multiply the figure for your height by itself.

3. Divide your weight (in kilos) by the figure in step 2.

Example

Height – 1m 60 (5 feet 3 inches)

Weight – 70kg (11 stone)

BMI 70 ÷ (1.6 x 1.6)

70 ÷ 2.56

= 27

youare a healthy weight?



How to calculate your daily calorie requirementManaging your calorie intake is important for weight control:

• When your calorie intake exceeds your calorie expenditure, your weight will increase.

• When your calorie intake matches your calorie expenditure, your weight will remain constant.

• When your calorie intake is less than your calorie expenditure, you will lose weight.

If you’re overweight and need to reduce your calorie intake, work out your daily calorie requirement by following the

three steps below.

Step 1Work out your personal resting metabolic rate (RMR) by doing the following calculation.

Check your resting metabolic rate

Age Men Women

18-29 years 15.3 x weight (in kilos) + 679 14.7 x weight (in kilos) + 496

30-59 years 11.6 x weight (in kilos) + 879 8.7 x weight (in kilos) + 829

60 years or over 13.5 x weight (in kilos) + 487 10.5 x weight (in kilos) + 596

Step 2Work out your current activity level.

Inactive – Mainly sitting down all day and evening = 1.3

Lightly active – Some activity – for example, walking, housework and general chores = 1.4

Moderately active – Active most of the day and taking part in moderate-intensity activity three or more times a week = 1.5

Step 3Calculate your daily calorie allowance:

Daily calorie allowance = Resting metabolic rate (RMR) x Activity level

This is the number of calories you can consume each day to maintain your current weight.

To lose weight, you must reduce your calorie intake by 500-600 calories per day.

Limiting your calorie intake can result in a reduction of the nutritional value of your meals, so seek advice before making

changes to your diet. Joining a weight management group can help to keep you motivated and provide you with lots of

support and ideas.

Another alternative to reducing your calorie intake is to increase your level of physical activity so that you use

up more calories. See the BHF booklet Get active! for suggestions on how to increase your level of activity.

A combination of a healthy diet and doing more physical activity will have the best outcome!

For an on-line calculator that can help you find out whether your weight or waist measurement is putting your

health at risk, see: www.bdaweightwise.org.uk or www.eatwell.gov.uk


This questionnaire will help you assess the nutritional value of your diet.

Answer Yes or No to the questions below and then read the supplementary

information that will help you to consider making changes to your diet.

Fruit and vegetables1. Do you eat at least 5 portions of fruit and/or vegetables every day? * Yes * No

Remember that fruit juice only counts as 1 portion a day, regardless of how much you drink.

The same applies to dried fruit. Potatoes count as starchy foods and not as vegetables.

As a guide, a portion is about a handful.

2. Do you eat more than four different varieties of fruit each week? * Yes * No

3. Do you eat more than four different varieties of vegetables each week? * Yes * No

If you have answered No to most of these questions, you may want to consider making some changes to your diet:

Aim to eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day:

• Fresh, frozen, canned and dried fruit or vegetables and fruit or vegetable juices, all count.

• A portion is about 80g.

• Enjoy fruit and vegetables with meals and/or as snacks.

• Watch out for sugar or syrup in some canned fruits and vegetables, and for salt in some canned vegetables.

• Fruit juice counts as only 1 portion a day, however much you drink.

• Beans and pulses count as only 1 portion a day, however much you eat.

• Try to include lots of different varieties of fruit and vegetables.

• Try to avoid adding fat or rich sauces to vegetables.

Eating at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day will contribute towards reducing the risk of coronary heart

disease. They provide a variety of different vitamins and minerals, as well as being a good source of fibre.

Rough guide to portion sizes

• Vegetables – 3 heaped tablespoons

• Salad – 1 dessert bowlful

• Grapefruit or avocado – ½ fruit

• Apples, bananas, pears, oranges and other similar size fruits – 1 fruit

• Plums and similar size fruit – 2 fruits

• Grapes, cherries and berries – 1 handful

• Fresh fruit salad – 3 heaped tablespoons

• Dried fruit – 1 heaped tablespoon

• Fruit juice – 1 glass (150ml)

Rough guide to portion sizes

is your Diet?how healthy Questionnaire


Fat4. Do you choose low-fat products when available? * Yes * No

5. Do you choose baked, steamed or grilled options when available, rather than fried foods

(such as crisps and snacks, or fish and chips)? * Yes * No

6. Do you opt for lean cuts of meat or remove visible fat –

for example, removing the skin on chicken or the rind on bacon? * Yes * No

7. Did you eat any oily fish last week?

Examples of oily fish include mackerel, herring, sardines, trout, and fresh tuna. * Yes * No

If you answered No to most of these questions, you may want to consider making some changes to your diet:

Most people would benefit from eating less saturated fat. This is the type of fat found in many common foods including

meat and dairy products and in many processed foods. Eating too much fat in general may contribute to weight gain,

and too much saturated fat can contribute towards coronary heart disease.

Foods containing fat should be eaten in moderate amounts:

• Choose lower-fat and/or leaner versions whenever you can. ‘Lower-fat versions’ means things like meat with the fat

cut off, poultry without the skin, and fish without batter.

• Avoid frying foods and instead opt for grilled, baked, boiled, steamed, dry-fried or microwaved choices.

• Replacing some saturated fats with monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats will help to improve the ratio

of ‘protective’ cholesterol to ‘harmful’ cholesterol in your blood.

• Eating oily fish regularly can help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

• Beans and pulses are good alternatives to meat as they are naturally very low in fat.

Starchy foods8. Do you base your main meals around starchy foods?

For example, potatoes, pasta, rice or bread. * Yes * No

9. Do you regularly choose wholemeal bread or rolls rather than white? * Yes * No

10. Do you regularly eat wholegrain cereals, with no added sugar? * Yes * No

11. Do you regularly include pulses in your diet?

For example, beans and lentils. * Yes * No

If you answered No to most of these questions, you may want to consider making some changes to your diet:

Aim to base all meals on a good-sized serving from this group, choosing wholegrain types when you can.

• Starchy foods contain carbohydrate mainly in the form of starch, which provides energy. They also contain some

protein, minerals, vitamins and fibre.

• Fibre helps the digestive system function properly, preventing bowel disorders such as constipation.

• Try to avoid frying foods in this food group (eg, chips), or adding too much fat (eg, spreading butter on bread),

or adding rich sauces or dressings (eg, cheese sauce on pasta).



Sugar12. Do you regularly eat sugar-coated breakfast cereals or add sugar to your breakfast cereals? * Yes * No

13. Do you add sugar to your drinks? * Yes * No

14. Do you regularly drink sweet fizzy drinks? * Yes * No

15. Do you regularly eat cakes, sweets, chocolate or biscuits at work? * Yes * No

If you have answered Yes to most of these questions, you may want to consider making some changes to your diet:

• Foods high in added sugar include soft drinks, sweets, jams, cake, puddings, biscuits, pastries and ice-cream. If you eat foods

and drinks containing sugar, eat them mainly at mealtimes rather than in between meals, to reduce the risk of tooth decay.

• Sugar can count for a lot of additional calories during the day, especially if you add sugar to every drink.

Salt16. Do you regularly add salt to food during cooking? * Yes * No

17. Do you regularly add salt to meals at the table? * Yes * No

18. Do you regularly eat savoury snacks at work?

For example, crisps or salted nuts. * Yes * No

19. Do you regularly eat pre-prepared meals?

For example, pre-prepared sandwiches, ready meals or canned soups. * Yes * No

20. Do you regularly eat processed meats such as ham or bacon, or smoked fish? * Yes * No

21. Has your GP advised you that you have high blood pressure? * Yes * No


Reducing the amount of salt in your diet can help keep your blood pressure down, especially if this is part of a healthy diet that

includes plenty of fruit and vegetables. Reducing your blood pressure reduces the risk of developing heart disease and stroke,

even if your blood pressure is already within the normal range.


Drinks and alcohol22. Do you drink plenty of fluids at regular intervals during the working day? * Yes * No

23. Do you opt for a variety of different drinks, including water, at work? * Yes * No

24. Do you avoid sugary fizzy drinks? * Yes * No

25. Do you drink less than 2-3 units of alcohol a day if you’re a woman, or less than

3-4 units of alcohol a day if you’re a man? * Yes * No

1 unit of alcohol is equivalent to 100ml of 10% ABV (alcohol by volume)

For example 1 unit is:

½ pint (300ml) of bitter, lager or cider (3% to 5% ABV), or

1 small glass of white or red white, 100ml (4fl oz), 10% ABV, or

1 pub measure of spirits, 25ml (1fl oz), or

1 small glass of sherry, 50ml (2fl oz)

If you have answered No to most of these questions, you may want to consider making some changes to your diet:

• In climates such as in the UK, we should drink about 1.2 litres (6 to 8 glasses) of fluid every day to stop us getting dehydrated.

• Too much alcohol can damage the heart muscle, increase blood pressure and lead to weight gain. However, moderate

drinking – between 1 and 2 units a day – may help protect the heart in men aged over 40 and women who have gone

through the menopause.

Eating habits26. Do you skip breakfast more than once a week? * Yes * No

27. Do you skip lunch more than once a week? * Yes * No

28. Do you skip evening meals more than once a week? * Yes * No

29. Do you skip meals and snack instead on most days? * Yes * No


• It’s not necessarily bad for you to skip meals and replace them with snacks, as long as the snacks you eat provide sufficient

nutrients to replace those of a complete meal. Many people, particularly those who do lots of physical activity, snack

throughout the day to maintain their energy levels.

• Skipping meals on a regular basis, particularly breakfast, disturbs the body’s metabolism and can affect the way that you feel

in a variety of different ways. It can also make it more difficult for you if you are trying to lose weight. Try to establish a regular

eating pattern with no longer than 3 or 4 hours between meals and snacks.



Healthy snacking at workThis section is designed to help you introduce healthier snack options into your workplace.

Snacks appear in the workplace from a variety of different sources:

• employees bringing food from home and storing it in desk drawers or lockers

• the shared ‘team biscuit tin’

• snacks available in employee restaurants and brought back to work stations

• snacks available in vending machines provided by the employer.

Often people perceive snacking to be bad for us. In fact this is only the case if we snack on high-sugar, high-fat foods like crisps

and chocolate. Switching to high-fibre, high-nutrient snacks will help to boost your daily intake of nutrients and maintain energy

and concentration levels throughout the day.

One word of caution though – over-snacking can very quickly increase your calorie intake, because many snacks are high in fat

and sugar. They can also contribute towards tipping your salt intake over the recommended levels. The key to healthy snacking

is to plan snacks in advance so that you always have access to healthier choices.

Desk drawer snacks

Below are some suggestions for foods that don’t need to be kept in the fridge and can therefore be stored in an office desk

drawer or kitchen unit.

• Small cans or pots of fruit in fruit juice

• Cereal bars – check for no added sugar

• Small packets of unsalted nuts – for example, Brazil nuts and walnuts, but watch the calorie intake

• Small packets of seeds – for example, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, but watch the calorie intake

• Small packets of dried fruit – for example, dried apricots, figs or raisins, but watch the calorie intake

• Breadsticks, rice cakes, oatcakes or crispbreads

• Plain biscuits with less fat and sugar

• Small packets of low-fat crisps (unsalted or lightly salted) – these will often have the same number

of calories as standard crisps, but will have less fat

• Small packets of corn tortilla chips (unsalted or lightly salted)

• Wholemeal crackers

• Small packets of pretzels (unsalted or lightly salted)

• Wholegrain breakfast cereals

• Plain popcorn

• Low-sugar chocolate drinks

• Low-salt slimmers’ soups.


Below are some suggestions for snacks that could be brought into work and stored during the day in a cool bag.

• Fresh fruit – for example, melon wedges, strawberries, pineapple slices, apples, pears, plums or nectarines

• Fresh fruit smoothies

• Fresh vegetables – for example, cherry tomatoes, baby carrot sticks, pea pods or baby corn

• Yoghurt drinks – check for no added sugar

• Fat-free fruit yoghurt – check for no added sugar

• Wholemeal mini pitta pockets

• Fruit scones, fruit bread or buns

• Crumpets or English muffins

• Small pasta pots

• Diet drinks.

Drinks

Drinks containing sugar contain lots of calories and increase the risk of dental decay, particularly if you have them

between meals. Here are some alternatives:

• Mineral water

• Fruit juices

• Fruit smoothies

• Yoghurt drinks

• Semi-skimmed or skimmed milk

• Low-sugar drinks

• Tea and coffee with no added sugar.

Don’t forget to provide lower-fat milk whenever you offer tea and coffee. Low-sugar drinks containing milk are good,

tooth-friendly options for drinks taken between meals.

Vending machines

Many employees rely on vending machines to provide them with food when they are most hungry and don’t have time to

venture out of the workplace for a more substantial meal option. Adding healthier options to vending machines provides

employees with choice. Signposting healthier options in vending machines allows employees to make informed choices.

Simple steps for change:

• Analyse current usage of your vending machine. How often are the machines used? When are they used? What are the most

popular products?

• Consult with your employees to find out why they use the vending machine and what changes they would be interested in.

• Talk to your vending supplier about extending the range of foods provided, and adding healthy options to your existing

range if the interest is there from employees.

• If you don’t get a satisfactory response from your vending supplier, consider switching to a new supplier who offers

a better deal.

• Provide nutritional information close to your vending machines to allow employees to make informed choices.

• Consider the position of your vending machine – is it easily accessible by employees, or too accessible?

• Consider reducing the prices of healthier options on an introductory basis, to encourage employees to try your new options.

For information on healthy vending machine suppliers, see page 164.



Team picnic in the parkWhy not organise a team meeting in a completely different environment, and include a healthy

picnic and some physical activity?

Simple steps to a successful ‘team in the park’ meeting:

1. Appoint a champion to organise your event.

2. Find a suitable venue for a team meeting in an outdoor location, with a contingency for bad weather

(eg, an indoor meeting room).

3. Agree on the catering arrangements:

• external caterers

• employees to bring food to share, or

• each employee to bring his or her own picnic.

Don’t forget to check for any special dietary requirements – see page 158.

4. Organise for food to be transported to the outdoor venue. Don’t take food out of the fridge until the

last minute, and use a cool bag or cool box to keep it chilled until you are ready to eat.

It is especially important to keep the following foods cool:

• cooked meat and cooked poultry

• meat or fish pâtés and spreads

• milk and eggs, and uncooked and lightly-cooked dishes made with them – such as mayonnaise

and hollandaise sauces and mousses

• shellfish and seafood – including prawns, shrimps, mussels, oysters, crab, lobster and scampi

• cooked rice

• food containing cream, such as trifle, cream cakes and desserts.

5. Agree on the time available for the team event and then select a suitable physical activity.

6. Buy any equipment needed for the lunch and activity.

• Remember to bring antiseptic hand wipes if your venue doesn’t have hand-washing facilities.

• Take something to keep food covered whenever possible.

• Remember the rubbish bags!

7. Circulate the agenda to the team – including details about lunch and the optional physical activity.

8. Organise transport for the team to the venue. Can you walk or cycle?

9. If the weather is poor on the day, confirm as early as possible whether the meeting will go ahead.

10. Enjoy your ‘team picnic in the park’ and don’t forget to ask for feedback.

Suggestions for activities

• Kite-fl ying

• Rounders

• Walk

• Nature trail

• Croquet

• Boules

• Volleyball

• Old-style school sports day, eg, hide and seek!

Suggestions for activities



Suggestions for healthy picnic food

Tortilla wheels

Spread a large wholemeal

tortilla with a layer of low-fat

houmous, then add sliced red

and green pepper, salad

and watercress. Roll up tightly,

then slice into 1-inch lengths,

using cocktail sticks to hold

them in shape if necessary.

Arrange cut side up and scatter

with sesame seeds.

Allow 1 tortilla per person.

Potato salad

Boil 500g (20oz) of baby potatoes

until just tender and for the last

2 minutes add 100g (4oz) of fi ne

green beans. Drain both and run

under cold water to cool.

In a serving bowl place a

variety of mixed salad leaves.

Add the potatoes and beans.

Crumble 200g of feta cheese

over the potatoes, along with

some chopped chives and spring

onions. Toss well and serve with a

low-fat salad dressing.

Serves 5-6 people.

Chips and dips

Dip unsalted tortilla chips, slices

of pitta bread and mixed

vegetable sticks (carrots, peppers,

sugar snap peas, baby sweetcorn,

celery and spring onions) into

low-fat crème fraîche mixed with a

squeeze of lime and a handful

of chopped coriander.

Pitta pockets

Mix chopped boiled egg, roughly

chopped watercress and chopped

spring onion with a little low-fat

yoghurt. Stuff the mixture into

wholemeal pitta breads.

Alternative fi lling:

Low-fat coronation chicken (made

with low-fat yoghurt)

Allow 1 pitta per person.

Tuna wraps

Drain a small tin of tuna (or

salmon) and spread it over a

wholemeal tortilla wrap. Add a

handful of salad leaves, and

some chopped salad onion and

grated carrot. Roll up from one

edge and wrap in greaseproof

paper, twisting the ends like a

Christmas cracker.

Allow 1 tortilla per person.

Selection of high-fi bre and

wholegrain breads

Served with:

• individual low-fat cheese

portions

• chunky fruits and vegetables

for example, cucumber,

cherry tomatoes, celery,

apple and pear.

Tuna and bean salad

Mix together 1 grated carrot,

1 sliced red pepper, 100g of sugar

snap peas fi nely sliced, and 400g

of canned mixed beans, drained

and rinsed. Drizzle with low-fat

salad dressing and place in a

serving dish. Flake 200g of tuna

over the top and serve with mixed

salad leaves.

Serves 3-4 people.

Pasta pots

Serve cooked pasta in individual

pots with a range of summer

ingredients including:

• cherry tomatoes, basil and

red onions

• salmon (tinned or fresh),

cucumber, peas, lemon juice

and mint.

Allow 50-75g pasta (dry weight)

per person.

Couscous salad

Serve cooked couscous with

a range of tasty ingredients

including:

• roasted vegetables

• beef tomatoes, rocket

and mozzarella.

Allow 50g couscous (dry weight)

per person.


Top tips:

• Avoid high-fat snack foods such as sausage rolls, Scotch eggs and crisps. Instead, offer easy-to-eat vegetable

snacks such as cherry tomatoes, or carrot or celery sticks.

• Choose low-fat versions of favourite picnic foods such as sandwiches and quiche.

• Home-baked cakes are great for picnics and, by making your own, you can reduce the amount

of added sugar. Why not try banana bread, raspberry muffi ns or fl apjacks?

• And for a really healthy dessert, why not prepare some fresh fruit kebabs or tropical fruit salad?

• Try some Pink Fizz. Add sparkling water to pomegranate juice. Pour it over ice cubes and top with

sliced strawberries.

• Slice lemons and limes and freeze in bags. On the day, remove the fruit from the freezer and add them to

your drinks to keep them cool.

• Have plenty of water and fruit juices available to keep your team hydrated on hot summer days.

• Use vacuum fl asks to keep drinks chilled. Rinse the fl asks with cold water fi rst and the drinks will

stay cooler for longer.

• Use plastic glasses in the park as they are easy to transport.

Don’t forget to take:

• Plates, cups, cutlery and napkins

• Water

• Picnic blankets

• Sun cream and hats

• Rubbish bags

DON’T FORGET TO TAKE...

TOP TIPS

AND FOR DESsERT

Cooling drinks for your picnic



Fruit smoothie makingMaking fruit smoothies is a simple and effective activity that can easily be organised in any workplace.

• It needs very little equipment or space.

• The only set-up time involved is the time needed for someone to buy the fruit and extra ingredients such as juice, milk or

yoghurt. This could even be done on-line and the fruit and juices delivered directly to your workplace.

• Everyone can get involved, no matter what their level of culinary skills!

Fruit smoothies are a great way to meet your 5-a-day target but remember that they should not become replacements for

drinks throughout the day. The high fruit content of smoothies means that they can be high in calories, so exercise some

caution when encouraging people to include them in a well-balanced diet.

Equipment needed

• A food blender or fruit smoothie maker – approximate cost £30 – available in most large supermarkets or electrical stores

• Chopping boards

• A selection of knives and vegetable peelers

• Jugs

• Glasses

• Small tasting glasses

• Bins

• Cleaning materials.

Instructions

Smoothie making is as simple as 1-2-3.

1. Prepare the fruit.

2. Select the fruit for your smoothie, and some yoghurt, milk, fruit juice,

ice or water if needed, and place in a food blender or fruit smoothie maker.

3. Whizz to a smoothie consistency and enjoy!

Don’t forget to check for any special dietary requirements – see page 158.

To make your fruit smoothie making a sucess

• Run a competition for the best smoothie recipe.

• Run a competition to name smoothie combinations.

• Run a series of themed smoothie-making sessions. For example:

– eating for your heart

– boosting energy levels

– breakfast

– seasonal fruits

– cancer awareness

– 5-a-day

– weight wise.

• For a really fun intervention, why not combine physical activity and healthy

eating with a cycle-powered smoothie-making machine? For more details

visit www.blendavenda.com


Smoothie recipe ideas

Good Morning Workplace

1 banana

Juice of 2-3 oranges

Small piece of grated ginger

Bananas provide slow-release

sugars to sustain your energy

until lunchtime.

Energiser

6 dried apricots

1 banana

¼ honeydew melon

Apricots are high in beta-carotene,

which can provide protection

against heart disease, premature

ageing and cancer.

Come on You Blues

2 tablespoons frozen blueberries

or other dark berries

1 banana

150ml (¼ pint) semi-skimmed milk

1 tablespoon honey

Berries are an excellent source

of vitamin C.

Citrus Zinger

1 pink grapefruit

2 oranges

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon honey

Citrus fruits are another great

source of vitamin C.

Sunshine Wake-up

Handful of seedless grapes

¼ cantaloupe melon

Large slice of watermelon

1 piece of peeled ginger

Ginger aids digestion.

Everyone’s Favourite

150ml (¼ pint) semi-skimmed milk

or plain yoghurt

1 banana

1 mango

60g (2½ oz) porridge oats

Dash of orange or apple juice

Oats help to stabilise blood

sugar levels and lower blood

cholesterol levels.

Kiwi Kick

2 ripe kiwi fruits

1 large, ripe pear

1 small cup of apple juice

Kiwi fruits are packed with

potassium, antioxidants, fi bre,

and vitamins C and E.

Go Bananas

1 large banana

1 cup of apple juice

2 tablespoons natural yoghurt

Bananas contain natural prebiotics,

and the live yoghurt is probiotic,

making this smoothie great for the

digestive system.

Chef’s tips

• Try adding juice, water, ice or yoghurt to help

the fruit liquidise.

• Frozen fruits are perfect for smoothies,

particularly frozen berries. They are rich in

vitamin C and during the winter months they

are often cheaper than fresh fruits.

CHEF’S TIPS



Setting up a breakfast barAbout one-third of all workers regularly skip breakfast. Perhaps the reason we are a nation of snack

addicts could be down to starting the day on an empty tank.

Breakfast provides the body with energy to fuel us at the start of the day. A healthy breakfast is particularly important to

people who want to lose weight, and research shows that adults and children who eat breakfast regularly are less likely to be

overweight than those who don’t have breakfast. Having breakfast helps overcome the need to snack on high-calorie foods

during the day.

The reasons employees give for not eating before they start their working day often include: lack of time; family commitments;

or not feeling ready to eat early in the morning. Providing facilities in the workplace for employees to have breakfast could help

to remove some of these obstacles.

Other reasons for introducing healthier breakfast facilities at work might include:

• providing an opportunity for employees to eat breakfast in a pleasant environment and to start the day on a positive note

• improved employee concentration and performance during the day

• engaging employees in making healthier choices about their diet

• better social interaction and teamworking among employees

• improved communication among employees in different departments

• benefits for low-income families by providing a no-cost or low-cost breakfast.

Getting startedThere are many different ways in which you could encourage employees to eat breakfast on a regular basis.

• If your workplace already offers breakfast on-site, you could consider running an awareness campaign on the benefits of

a nutritious breakfast.

• If your workplace has vending machines, you could consider asking your supplier to include healthy breakfast options.

• If your workplace has employee kitchen facilities, you could consider providing an assortment of breakfast foods for an

agreed time period for employees to try free of charge. Perhaps invite a local health food store to visit with a sample of their

healthy breakfast options for employees to try.

• If your workplace has an employee kitchen but no facilities, you could simply consider introducing some new equipment.

A lot can be achieved with a fridge, kettle and toaster!

Before you are ready to launch your new breakfast initiative, there are a few things that you will need to consider and agree on:

1. The aims and objectives of this initiative

For example, will the breakfast initiative run as a pilot to determine interest levels to start off with? Who are you trying to

target? Are you providing facilities and/or food? How will you measure the success of your initiative? How do you know

there is an interest for this initiative?

2. Who needs to be involved?

For example, who will be responsible for buying and storing food? Who will be responsible for equipment? Ensure that

whoever is running this initiative is aware of food hygiene requirements.


3. Where and when will the breakfast bar run?

For example, are there existing staff facilities that can extend their opening hours? Does your staff kitchen area have sufficient

space to store additional food and equipment? Make sure that your facilities have sufficient space for preparing and clearing

away food. This includes access to fridges, hot water and rubbish disposal. If you are going to share facilities, get agreement

on the use and cleaning of the area.

4. How many people will you be able to accommodate?

This is particularly important if someone is to be responsible for buying food.

5. How will the initiative be funded?

Is there a budget to allow the food and facilities to be provided free of charge or at a subsidised price? What will the price

structure be? Check that your organisation’s public liability insurance covers the provision of food.

6. Are there any cultural or religious issues relating to food that you need to be aware of?

Do any employees have special dietary needs?

7. Have all health and safety issues been addressed?

Promoting your breakfast initiativesSee page 72 for suggestions on promoting Eat well! actions. Here are some other ideas to help get this initiative started and to

generate a high level of interest.

• Invite the local press to cover the opening and to take photographs.

• Talk about the initiative at team or departmental meetings.

• Send personalised invitations.

• Run a first-day raffle for those who attend.

• Launch a healthy breakfast competition.

• Provide a healthy breakfast quiz.

• Have a theme day.

• Have a ‘bring a friend for free’ day.

The Food Standards Agency website provides additional information about the importance of breakfast,

and some suggestions for breakfast at home or on the go. See www.eatwell.gov.uk


Breakfast suggestionsBelow is a shopping list of ingredients that could be stored in even a small kitchen space, and some

ideas for healthy breakfast options.

Shopping list

Store cupboard Fridge

• Wholewheat bread, bagels, fruit buns,

raisin bread, scones, teacakes, pancakes,

tortilla wraps, or crumpets

• Wholegrain breakfast cereals – unsweetened,

lower-salt varieties

• Muesli

• Jumbo millet fl akes

• Rolled oats

• Unsweetened apple / orange / cranberry juice

• Rice milk or oat milk

• Honey

• Selection of dried fruits, eg, raisins, sultanas,

apricots

• Selection of tinned fruit in fruit juice

• Selection of unsalted nuts and seeds

• Unsalted nut butters*

• Low-sugar, low-salt baked beans

• Tinned tomatoes

• Skimmed or semi-skimmed milk

• Low-fat fruit yoghurt

• Plain yoghurt

• Selection of fresh fruits

• Eggs

• Low-fat spreads

• Fruit juices

• Fresh fruits

• Low-fat cream cheese

Freezer

• Selection of frozen fruits

• Ice cubes

* Nut butters are high in fat and therefore calories, so people following a calorie-controlled diet should limit how much they use them.



Breakfast ideas

• Offer a variety of different fruits and fruit juices each day.

• Keep things simple with an assortment of wholegrain breakfast cereals. These can be made more exciting with different

toppings – for example, dried apricots and raisins; frozen berries; tinned peaches in fruit juice; sliced strawberries and natural

yoghurt; black, red and green grapes; pineapple chunks in natural juice; sliced apple with a few unsalted chopped nuts; or

sliced kiwi fruits.

• Offer a range of wholegrain bread which can be used for breakfast sandwiches or for toasting. For example, wholemeal toast

with peanut butter and sliced apple.

• Offer ‘wake-up smoothies’ – for example, blitz together ½ pineapple, ½ lime, 2 apples, apple juice and ice cubes. For more

ideas for fruit smoothies, see page 108.

• Tortilla wraps ‘breakfast-style’ – for example, sliced apple and banana topped with a little greek yoghurt, raisins and honey.

• Porridge is great during the colder months. Try warm porridge with various toppings such as ground almonds, sliced apple or

pear, dried fruit or honey.

• Low-sugar, low-salt muesli. For example, top traditional muesli with yoghurt, pumpkin seeds and frozen berries.

• Top wholemeal toast with baked beans or scrambled eggs.

• Top wholemeal bagels with low-fat cream cheese and fresh fruit salad.

• Boiled egg with wholemeal toast or crumpets.

Kitchen equipment

Preparing simple breakfasts requires very little kitchen equipment. Suggestions for equipment to be included in a workplace

kitchen area are provided on page 116.

Top tips for making your breakfast area appealing

• Keep the area clean and tidy.

• Provide newspapers or magazines.

• Play music or have access to TV and radio.

• Provide access to the internet.

• Include a range of problem-solving puzzles and challenges.

• Provide healthy lifestyle information.

• Set up areas where employees can talk.

• Offer vouchers for regular use.

• Run special offer campaigns.

• Hold celebration events.

• Keep on marketing the service!

• And fi nally, ask for feedback.

Top tips for making your breakfast area appealing


Fruit and vegetable box delivery scheme

A great way to encourage employees to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, and to make a contribution

to reducing carbon emissions, is for someone in your workplace to organise for a local supplier to deliver

fruit and vegetable boxes to your workplace on a weekly basis.

Benefits

• Saves the time needed to shop.

• Removes the need for a family member to wait in for a home delivery.

• Allows local producers to deliver to a large number of clients in one location.

Considerations

• Always check the level of interest before undertaking to set up a new healthy eating option.

• You can search for your nearest local box scheme at www.vegboxschemes.co.uk

• A box scheme is only likely to be successful if employees can easily transport their boxes home.

• Someone within your organisation will need to be assigned the responsibility for collecting and placing orders

and making payments.

• Consider setting up the initiative on a trial basis first.

• A process for evaluation and feedback, and a clear complaints policy, will help to ease any problems associated

with this initiative.



Meeting room refreshment policyWhat do the catering arrangements at meetings, conferences and events hosted in your workplace say

about your organisation’s commitment to healthy eating at work?

For more information about providing healthier catering for meetings, see the healthy catering guidelines produced by the

North West Food and Health Task Force, at: www.nwph.net/food_health

Here are some simple and effective changes that you could introduce very easily into your workplace to make an immediate

statement about your organisation’s commitment to healthy eating through your catering for meetings:

• Always ask in advance if delegates have special dietary requirements.

• Acknowledge special dietary requirements by labelling foods so that people do not have to ask about them – for example,

nut-free, non-dairy, wheat-free or gluten-free.

• Ensure fresh water is available and prominent in all meeting rooms.

• Offer alternatives to tea and coffee – such as herbal or fruit teas – for those wanting to reduce their caffeine intake.

• When you offer tea and coffee, remember to provide lower-fat milk.

• Offer fresh fruit at all meetings as an alternative to high-sugar snacks. Make it easy to eat the fruit. Some people may not want

to eat a whole apple at a meeting, so opt for pre-prepared or easy-to-peel fruits of sensible portion sizes, eg, grapes, satsumas,

strawberries, raspberries, or sliced pineapple or melon.

• Offer bite-sized rather than super-sized biscuits and cakes.

• When providing lunch, ask your caterers to provide healthy options:

– Specify low-fat options, eg, grilled chicken or poached salmon.

– Ask for salads and/or vegetable crudités to be available.

– Don’t automatically go for the standard sandwich lunch. Ask your caterers for alternatives such as rice or pasta salads, or

provide them with specific instructions – for example, sandwiches with low-fat spreads and leaner fillings.

– Specify wholegrain options. Wholegrains help to maintain blood sugar levels, which will help keep delegates focused

during your meeting! For example, brown rice, wholemeal pasta, breads, bagels or tortillas.

– Avoid fried savoury snacks and replace them with baked snacks, unsalted nuts and flavoured seeds.

• Provide nutritional information where available.

– You have a captive audience – what a great way to raise awareness of the benefits of healthy eating!

– Also, it is important that employees are aware of the calories they are consuming while sitting in a meeting. Why not

encourage some physical activity as an agenda item to work off some of the calories consumed?

• Use smaller-sized plates to help with portion control.

What healthy options do you provide for those who might be following a weight management

programme?

What is the annual cost to your business

of meeting room refreshments?

Is drinking water made available in all

meeting rooms?

Are comfort breaks standard items on meeting agendas?


Influences in your workplace workshop

Aim of workshop To increase awareness of how the work environment can affect employees’

attitudes to healthy eating

Level of knowledge required Suitable for all levels of nutritional awareness

Number of delegates Maximum 12

Resources Meeting room, flipchart, flipchart pens, paper

Time needed for workshop 1 hour

Workshop outline

The purpose of this workshop is to raise awareness of how the workplace can influence the dietary habits of employees

by investigating:

• the environment within which employees work

• the availability of food

• workplace facilities

• corporate messages promoting healthy eating

• patterns of behaviour, and

• level of nutritional awareness.

The workshop is designed to help a group of 10-12 employees identify the issues within their workplace and rank them in order

of priority. It may be necessary to invite an external facilitator, such as a health promotion specialist, nutritionist or community

dietitian, to help draw out the key issues and smooth the progress of discussion.

• Individually, or in pairs, delegates are asked to identify ways in which the workplace influences their own dietary choices and

to write these down on pieces of paper. Allow 5 minutes for this activity.

• The delegates are brought back into the group and are asked to feedback by sharing their ideas. These are written on pieces

of paper which are stuck onto a flipchart to build up a ‘wall of bricks’. The facilitator looks for common themes and classifies

them into the following groups:

– Workplace facilities, eg, lack of kitchen equipment

– Poor choice of food and drink in the workplace

– Workplace issues, eg, lack of time for lunch

– Individual issues, eg, lack of willpower, need for ideas on healthy eating, desire to understand more about healthy eating.

Allow 15 minutes for feedback

• In groups of three or four, the delegates are asked to identify ways in which the problems could be addressed. It is useful

to allocate each group a specific issue. Allow 10 minutes for discussion and encourage creative ideas.

• Each group is asked to present their ideas and collectively the concept of a healthy workplace is developed by removing

the ‘bricks in the wall’ and replacing them with suggestions for improvements. Allow 20 minutes for discussion.

• Finish the workshop by asking delegates to list five changes that could be made immediately in the workplace and that

would help them to improve their diet. Finally, ask the group to agree five key concerns to refer back to the healthy

eating champion. Allow 10 minutes for discussion and wrap-up.



Equipping a small workplace kitchenThis section contains suggestions for equipment that could be made available in small workplace

kitchens for general use by employees.

Preparing healthy meals and snacks at work requires very little kitchen equipment, so even the smallest of kitchens can be put

to good use. But before you consider kitting out your kitchen, you will need to consider and agree on the following.

1. The aims and objectives of this initiative

For example, how do you know there is an interest for this initiative? Who are you trying to target? Who will use this

equipment? When will the equipment be used? Are you providing facilities and/or food? How will you measure the success

of your initiative?

2. Who needs to be involved?

For example, who will be responsible for buying equipment? Who will be responsible for equipment cleaning and

maintenance? Who is responsible for health and safety in your organisation?

3. Where will the equipment be used and stored?

For example, are there existing staff facilities that could be adapted? Does your staff kitchen area have sufficient space to

store additional equipment? Make sure that your facilities have sufficient space for storing, preparing and clearing away food.

This includes access to fridges, hot water and rubbish disposal. If you are going to share facilities, get agreement on the use

and cleaning of the area.

4. How many people will you be able to accommodate?

This is particularly important if you are to provide food storage areas.

5. How will the initiative be funded?

Is there a budget to buy additional equipment, or will employees be asked to contribute?

6. Have all health and safety issues been addressed?

If you have a budget available, you might want to

consider buying some of the following:

• Cutlery

• A selection of plates and bowls

• Chopping boards. Have different colour boards for different

uses – for example, a red board for meat and a

green board for fruit and vegetables

• A selection of chopping knives

• A tin opener

• Vegetable peeler

• Stylish mixing bowls that can also be used to serve food

• A selection of different-sized storage containers – suitable

for dry and cold foods

• A food blender, smoothie-maker or hand blender,

depending on the space available

• A measuring jug

• A selection of kitchen paper, tin foil and plastic

food covering

• A selection of cleaning materials

More costly equipment, if your budget and space

will stretch this far, could include:

• Microwave

• Microwave-proof bowls

• Funky crockery and glasses

• Bread-maker

• Jacket potato oven

• Sandwich toaster

• Grill

If you don’t have a budget to spend on equipment, why not

ask employees to donate unused equipment that may be

gathering dust in a cupboard in their own homes? Some

employees may have received unwanted or duplicated gifts

which they would be happy to donate to the workplace.

Remember that it may be necessary to perform safety checks

on any donated electrical appliances. Your health and safety

representatives should be able to give you more information

on this.


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This fun quiz is designed to test what you know about the food … · What do you know about the food you eat? QUIZ This fun quiz is designed to test what you know about the food