The Healthy Snack Box The Healthy Snack Box CaféCafé

Workplaces ‘Working’ on Healthy Eating Workplaces ‘Working’ on Healthy Eating A Healthy Workplace Initiative at the A Healthy Workplace Initiative at the

NS Public Service Commission NS Public Service Commission

Presented by: Jessika Quigley, BScAHNPresented by: Jessika Quigley, BScAHNHWP Dietetic InternHWP Dietetic Intern

Mount Saint Vincent UniversityMount Saint Vincent University

Introduction Introduction to the Café to the Café

Officially opened July 14Officially opened July 14thth, 2009 following , 2009 following ‘ ‘Make your own Yogurt Parfait’ kick off event (July 7Make your own Yogurt Parfait’ kick off event (July 7thth))

Initially planned to run as a 3 week pilot project Initially planned to run as a 3 week pilot project

Offered a wide variety of healthy snack food options to Offered a wide variety of healthy snack food options to NS PSC employees on the 5NS PSC employees on the 5thth & 4 & 4thth floors of the WTCC floors of the WTCC

Provide access to healthy foods at low prices to Provide access to healthy foods at low prices to support employee’s efforts to eat healthier and make support employee’s efforts to eat healthier and make healthier food choiceshealthier food choices

Cost-recovery, honor payment system Cost-recovery, honor payment system

What resulted?What resulted?

The Café operated from July 14The Café operated from July 14thth-August 21-August 21stst (6 weeks (6 weeks total)total)

Several events took place that engaged staff as well as Several events took place that engaged staff as well as family to become educated about healthy foodsfamily to become educated about healthy foods

Provided a convenient, economical and health Provided a convenient, economical and health benefiting service for all employees to usebenefiting service for all employees to use

Increased nutrition knowledge amongst employeesIncreased nutrition knowledge amongst employees Created a positive atmosphere in the workplace Created a positive atmosphere in the workplace Increased social interaction between employeesIncreased social interaction between employees Employees very supportive and appreciative of café Employees very supportive and appreciative of café

Initial Research Initial Research

Magazine Article, ‘In Your Workplace’ sparked idea Magazine Article, ‘In Your Workplace’ sparked idea (Apples & oranges: how to start a healthy snack box in your workplace)(Apples & oranges: how to start a healthy snack box in your workplace)

Visit to Heart & Stroke Foundation – looked at their Visit to Heart & Stroke Foundation – looked at their healthy snack box operation healthy snack box operation

Google Search – articles, websites, etc. Google Search – articles, websites, etc. Google alerts including healthy eating in the workplace; Google alerts including healthy eating in the workplace; nutrition in employees, etc.nutrition in employees, etc.

Investigated ‘Lean Machines’ business at Public Health Investigated ‘Lean Machines’ business at Public Health – looked at operations, products, etc. – looked at operations, products, etc.

Survey Objectives Survey Objectives

Gather information from NS PSC employees Gather information from NS PSC employees on level of nutrition knowledge on level of nutrition knowledge

Find limitations that prevent healthy eating in Find limitations that prevent healthy eating in workplaceworkplace

Assess level of interest employees had Assess level of interest employees had regarding the purchasing of healthy foods regarding the purchasing of healthy foods

Determine what types of foods employees Determine what types of foods employees preferred to create an appealing menupreferred to create an appealing menu

Fresh produceFresh produce Lunch itemsLunch items Beverages?Beverages?

Kick off event Kick off event

Make Your Own Yogurt ParfaitsMake Your Own Yogurt Parfaits Invited all PSC WTCC employees to Invited all PSC WTCC employees to

attendattend Promote the café’s location, service and Promote the café’s location, service and

products as well as provide an example products as well as provide an example of a healthy snack food of a healthy snack food

Great turnout! Great turnout!

The HSB café menu: The HSB café menu: nutritionnutrition

Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Whole grain, high fiber itemsWhole grain, high fiber items Low in sodium & added sugarLow in sodium & added sugar Trans fat free & low in saturated fats Trans fat free & low in saturated fats Low fat dairy & lean protein sources Low fat dairy & lean protein sources High in nutrients, low in calories High in nutrients, low in calories

The HSB café menu: The HSB café menu: employeeemployee

Food preferencesFood preferences Dietary restrictions Dietary restrictions (allergies, intolerances, etc.)(allergies, intolerances, etc.)

Nutritional concerns Nutritional concerns (high blood pressure, high (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, etc.)cholesterol, diabetes, etc.)

Healthy Weight Maintenance Healthy Weight Maintenance Economical Economical Convenient Convenient

Employee Tabs Employee Tabs

Honor System Honor System Employee Check ListEmployee Check List Weekly TabsWeekly Tabs Notification through e-mailNotification through e-mail Absence of payment- carried to following Absence of payment- carried to following

weekweek System ran smoothly System ran smoothly

Sales $ Sales $

Friday : Inventory Day $Friday : Inventory Day $ Count all product and subtract from initialCount all product and subtract from initial Amt. Sold x unit priceAmt. Sold x unit price Total sales calculated and compared to Total sales calculated and compared to

total owed from employee tabstotal owed from employee tabs Allow for slight dollar difference Allow for slight dollar difference (due to human error, spoilage, etc.) (due to human error, spoilage, etc.)

DistributorDistributor

All product was purchased in Bulk All product was purchased in Bulk (Costco) (Costco)

Buying bulk allowed for stock which Buying bulk allowed for stock which saved on trips to other retailerssaved on trips to other retailers

Grocery List updated each weekGrocery List updated each week Volunteer based so no additional fees Volunteer based so no additional fees

besides cost of product besides cost of product

Prices & Profit Prices & Profit

Prices were set at cost-recoveryPrices were set at cost-recovery Small profit made over 6 week durationSmall profit made over 6 week duration Profit will go towards ‘needs’ fundProfit will go towards ‘needs’ fund

Purchase of mini fridge Purchase of mini fridge Future promotional events (such as yogurt parfait Future promotional events (such as yogurt parfait

parties)parties) Purchase of new productPurchase of new product Allow for any spoilage or damaged product to be Allow for any spoilage or damaged product to be

covered covered

Policies & ProceduresPolicies & Procedures

Monday – Thursday : stock and general Monday – Thursday : stock and general maintenance (food spoilage, shortage, etc) maintenance (food spoilage, shortage, etc)

Friday – inventory day & employee tab Friday – inventory day & employee tab notifications notifications

Health Canada Safe Fruit & Vegetable PolicyHealth Canada Safe Fruit & Vegetable Policy Healthy Env. Initiative: waste management.Healthy Env. Initiative: waste management. HACCAP followed when preparing foods:HACCAP followed when preparing foods:

Bagged fresh veggies & fruit, nuts, HWP mixBagged fresh veggies & fruit, nuts, HWP mix Clean hands; plastic gloves; hair nets, etc. Clean hands; plastic gloves; hair nets, etc. Preparation of all foods in sanitized kitchen area Preparation of all foods in sanitized kitchen area

Advertising, Marketing & Advertising, Marketing & Promotions Promotions

Kick off Yogurt Parfait event Kick off Yogurt Parfait event Posters, emails, etc. Posters, emails, etc. Healthy Snack of the WeekHealthy Snack of the Week The Nutritionist is In eventThe Nutritionist is In event The Healthy Art Event The Healthy Art Event Cost ComparisonsCost Comparisons Meal Makeovers Meal Makeovers

Product NutritionProduct Nutrition

Developed HSB café nutrition guideDeveloped HSB café nutrition guide Nutrition analysis for each product offeredNutrition analysis for each product offered Made available in café for all employees to reviewMade available in café for all employees to review Also incl. Tim Horton's nutrition guide for comparison Also incl. Tim Horton's nutrition guide for comparison

Product Nutrition information was retrieved from Product Nutrition information was retrieved from product labeling as well as researching products on product labeling as well as researching products on internet and applying nutrition knowledge in an internet and applying nutrition knowledge in an understandable communication understandable communication

Huge SuccessHuge Success

““Great job in setting up the café and Great job in setting up the café and pursuing it! I usually bring my own pursuing it! I usually bring my own snacks but have greatly appreciated the snacks but have greatly appreciated the convenience and very reasonable prices convenience and very reasonable prices of having some healthy options a few of having some healthy options a few steps away. I hope the service continues. steps away. I hope the service continues. Excellent job Jessika!”Excellent job Jessika!”

‘‘Feed’-back Feed’-back

““A very practical, A very practical,

pragmatic approach topragmatic approach to

encourage healthy eating habits”. encourage healthy eating habits”.

““Thank you for setting this up. I did not access as Thank you for setting this up. I did not access as much as I would have liked because of much as I would have liked because of summer vacation, however I feel that is a great summer vacation, however I feel that is a great idea and it will be beneficial in the future!”idea and it will be beneficial in the future!”

Pros Pros

Increased the purchase of healthy foods such Increased the purchase of healthy foods such as fresh fruits and vegetablesas fresh fruits and vegetables

Convenient and easily accessible location Convenient and easily accessible location Low cost compared to other food servicesLow cost compared to other food services

Cost-comparison sheet Cost-comparison sheet

Healthy and practical to meet large range of Healthy and practical to meet large range of customer needs & demands customer needs & demands

Contributed to developing a healthy workplace Contributed to developing a healthy workplace

ConsCons

Spoilage of foods such as fresh fruits and Spoilage of foods such as fresh fruits and vegetablesvegetables

Honor system may not work in every workplace Honor system may not work in every workplace environment (trial & error)environment (trial & error)

Requires a volunteer staff (min. 2 people) to Requires a volunteer staff (min. 2 people) to operate efficiently operate efficiently

Pests! Plans to manage pests are necessary Pests! Plans to manage pests are necessary for food safety and to prevent loss of productfor food safety and to prevent loss of product

Plastic tubberware used to store stockPlastic tubberware used to store stock Food never left out of containersFood never left out of containers Shelve case with glass doors Shelve case with glass doors

The HSB café The HSB café Builds on Healthy Eating in the WorkplaceBuilds on Healthy Eating in the Workplace

Service builds on work previously done in the Service builds on work previously done in the ‘Healthy Eating in the Workplace’ guide‘Healthy Eating in the Workplace’ guide

Increasing fruit and vegetable intake by increasing Increasing fruit and vegetable intake by increasing access and improving affordabilityaccess and improving affordability

To increase the availability of locally produced foodsTo increase the availability of locally produced foods

Lets Make a Meal – Lets Make a Meal – awareness through décorawareness through décor

Brochure and food guide – Brochure and food guide – take away sourcestake away sources

Connection to ‘take back the lunch break’ Connection to ‘take back the lunch break’ campaign campaign

commit to take a nutritious lunch break at least 3x/week to commit to take a nutritious lunch break at least 3x/week to feel healthier, happier and more productive feel healthier, happier and more productive

HSB Café Tool Kit HSB Café Tool Kit

The Healthy Snack Box café tool kit will The Healthy Snack Box café tool kit will be made available to other HWP be made available to other HWP committees committees

The complete Kit will be available for The complete Kit will be available for downloading through the HWP website downloading through the HWP website soon.soon.

Potential for concept to spread across Potential for concept to spread across the provincial government the provincial government

The future of the HSB The future of the HSB cafecafe

Meeting on August 20Meeting on August 20thth with members of with members of the PSC Healthy Workplace Committeethe PSC Healthy Workplace Committee

Basic operations will continue after Basic operations will continue after August 21August 21stst (sell stock) (sell stock)

Meeting planned for September 8Meeting planned for September 8thth for for final decision to continue operations final decision to continue operations

Thank you!Thank you!

Questions?Questions?

Happy Healthy Snacking !