We all know what we should eat at meal times to provide us with a healthy balanced diet but choosing the best meeting snacks can be more difficult.
To fight that post-lunch slump, it can be tempting to reach for the most obvious ‘pick-me-ups’ of confectionary or cake to secure the energy boost you crave.
In order to maintain focus at your off-site meeting though, it is far better to focus on foods loaded with complex carbohydrates and protein, such as wholegrain foods, fruits and vegetables as these release energy more slowly than treats packed with refined sugar.
Snack happy
Off-site meetings usually have a full agenda and demand a lot of attention and input from delegates.
It is therefore important to make sure the best meeting snacks are available at the optimum times to help attendees maintain their concentration.
Eating little and often can help maintain a steady blood sugar level, thus aiding concentration and avoiding the tiredness that can be induced by your body trying to digest a large meal.
Møller Institute spends one-fifth of its food budget on fresh fruit and vegetables, ensuring delegates have ample opportunity to benefit from the various antioxidant nutrients that are found in these food groups and are believed to have positive effects on cognitive function.
Smooth operators
Snacking is usually about speed but this doesn’t mean health has to be sacrificed. Fresh fruit, such as apples, bananas and oranges, can easily be taken into meetings and are preferable to smoothies, which have more calories and sugar in than unblended fruit.
Just the action of chewing as opposed to drinking can help aid digestion, boost nutrient absorption and reduce the chances of feeling bloated. If delegates do desire a smoothie though, Møller Institute’s Executive Chef Alex Bigot offers his very own ‘Green Boost’ power smoothie; a shot glass-sized mix of avocado, kale, spinach and ginger for a tasty – and healthy – energy jolt.
Alternative snacks that are easy to consume while working include fruit-based snack bars, such as those made with date paste and nuts, as these deliver a healthy dose of protein and are often gluten and dairy free, meaning they are easily digested.
When temptation wins
Sometimes our cravings for a less healthy option just cannot be ignored and we have to indulge.
Our favourite sweet treats can provide a mental boost given they contain a high dose of glucose, a type of sugar that is a primary source of fuel for the brain. Some studies have shown that a large serving of glucose can have a fast, short-term benefit in terms of cognitive function.
Quality is important here as cocoa-rich dark chocolate is full of flavonoids, brain-boosting compounds that can help with learning and memory. Møller Institute specialities have included vegan chocolate-avocado cake and (in winter) hot cocoa with Himalayan sea salt.
Whether it’s fresh fruit or indulgent scones with cream and jam, Møller Institute is able to cater for all your off-site event and meeting room food needs, ensuring your delegates are perfectly powered to perform.
