September 8, 2005

Healthy food options at meetings

How many meetings are you involved with on a monthly basis--either as a participant or as a planner? These can include meetings for work, service groups, youth groups, or church. Think of the food that is usually served. Is it healthy?

On any given day in the U. S., 815 billion calories are consumed, and that's 200 billion more than needed! We are surrounded by food; we live in a food rich, easy food environment. With the increasing rates of overweight and obesity, we may want to start changing people's expectations of food at meetings. Is it necessary to provide food at all meetings, presentations and seminars, especially for mid-morning and mid-afternoon breaks? How many times have you attended a meeting where you are sitting and eating all day and leave the meeting feeling full and tired?

Youth meetings may be offered at a time, such as after school, when the children need a snack or small meal. Does it have to be pop and bars, or could it be something healthier? Think of the examples we are setting and the habits we are forming with our young people at the meetings that we sponsor.

Consider the following ideas for offering healthy options at meetings:

• For snacks during meetings, serve bite-sized fruits and vegetable like grapes, cherries, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, strawberries and melons.
• Choose whole, fresh fruits like apples, oranges, plums and apricots rather than more refined forms like applesauce.
• Provide pre-packaged fruit cups and dried fruits when refrigeration is not available.
• Serve cut-up fresh vegetables, like celery, squash, bell peppers, broccoli florets and cucumbers, served with low-fat or fat free dips.
• Offer water or 100 percent fruit and vegetable juices rather than sugary drinks like pop or fruit drinks.
• Offer delicious vegetable sandwiches or wraps, or a sandwich tray with lots of fresh vegetables, sliced low fat cheeses, lean meats and low fat spreads.
• Consider portion size and offer mini-bagels or mini muffins with low fat spreads like jam or fruit spread instead of high-fat cream cheese and butter.
• Offer whole grain forms of muffins and breads. Combine them, offer them in new ways; mix 2-3 whole grain cereals to a trail mix, have sandwiches with one whole grain and one enriched bread, or offer whole grain tortillas roll-ups.
• Offer popcorn, pretzels or whole grain crackers.
• For meals, keep the entrée below 12-15 grams of fat per serving or less, and choose items that are broiled, baked, grilled or steamed rather than fried or sautéed.
• For desserts, choose lower fat and calorie desserts: cut up fresh fruit and offer with low-fat yogurt dip, low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt, sherbet or sorbet, angel food cake with fruit topping.

Think of what a great example you could create if your organization took a pledge to commit to improve the health of your members by offering healthy options at meetings--and included physical activity breaks.

With a new awareness and a little planning, your meetings can become one more way that people can work towards a healthier lifestyle. You may be pleasantly surprised when at the end of your next meeting, a member comes up to you and thanks you for offering choices that allowed them to leave at the end of the meeting feeling refreshed and excited.

(Various sources were used for this article)

(Jill Kokkonen May is a health & nutrition educator with the University of Minnesota Extension Service Regional Center, Brainerd)

NOTE: News releases were current as of the date of issue. If you have a question on older releases, use the news release search (upper left-hand column of the News main page) or the main Extension search (upper right of this page) to locate more recent information.

URL: http:// www.extension.umn.edu/extensionnews/2005/Healthyfood.html  This page was updated Sept. 8, 2005 .
Online Privacy Statement.  Contact Information.

University of Minnesota Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
Copyright  ©  Regents of the University of Minnesota.  All rights reserved.