Energizing Foods for Workday Meal Prep

Challenge

Researchers found that 76% of employees felt tired at work most days of the week. What foods and when people eat has a huge impact on their energy level, and thus their productivity and focus over the course of the work day. Even in chaotic work environments, it's important for employees to have easy access to healthy, energizing foods, and meal prep is one efficient way to achieve that goal. The skills and knowledge people have about nutrition and cooking vary greatly, so this project aimed to demystify food prep basics and provide straightforward steps to get started.

Solution

As part of a larger project - a course on meal prep for work - this infographic served to summarize and reinforce the types of foods to include in meals and snacks (those that provide long-lasting energy) and the things to avoid (those that drain energy, cause sluggishness, or burn off quickly). Within the course, this graphic is paired with an activity where the learner categorizes food flashcards into two piles; therefore, the particular foods listed were chosen to highlight items commonly found in the workplace as well as foods that work well in meal prep recipes. Given that most people read left-to-right, the foods to prioritize are featured in the column on the left so they are the first to be seen and are further emphasized by the color green which is associated with "go/do/yes/take action/proceed" versus red on the right which indicates "stop/don't/no/refrain".

Result

The intended result of this overall project is to increase employee energy levels and productivity which could be measured through a self-reporting survey taken before the course and then several weeks after. The application component of the course included a week-long meal plan and shopping list along with reflection/check in questions for employees to contemplate as they implement their plans and notice changes in their physical and mental states. Additionally, the infographic featured here could be used as a quick-reference guide for individuals at home and/or in communal spaces in the workplace as a reminder of the impact of these choices.