How do you combat the famous afternoon slump at the office? With a resurgence of attention to health, a growing number of employers are filling the fridge and kitchen counter with healthy alternatives. The once well-intentioned high-fat snacks and sugary drinks are making way, because they turn out not to be so innocent after all. Minor understatement, because they result in high costs for your company. Discover here the risks of unhealthy eating patterns, the benefits of free healthy snacks and the ideal solution for healthy drinks.

The pandemic has only fueled companies' interest in the well-being of their employees. From there, a variety of large and small-scale initiatives are springing up like mushrooms, from talent development and mental health projects to yoga classes and exercise breaks. And just as important: policies that encourage healthy drinking and eating patterns. So it's high time to get rid of those snacks and drinks full of fats and sugars.

The risks of an unhealthy drinking and eating pattern

Don't underestimate the impact of such a nutrition policy. After all, your employees spend most of their time in the office, including snack and coffee breaks. As an employer, you contribute to their lifestyle. Healthy snacks and drinks are not a luxury, because the average Belgian employee does not have very good eating habits . What do you mean, unhealthy?

1. A lack of water, vegetables and fruits

This is what the average Belgian consumes per day:

• Water: 797 milliliters instead of (at least) 1 liter
• Fruit: 1 piece (110 grams) instead of 2 to 3 pieces
• Vegetables: 145 grams instead of 300 grams

2. Unhealthy drinks and foods

The extras are especially problematic, as they account for 650 kilocalories, a third of the average energy intake:

• High-fat products such as crisps, chocolate, cakes or fast food go in (too) easily
• Sugary drinks , including soft drinks, sports drinks and energy drinks, are another culprit: 20% of the population opens a bottle or can every day, 4% treats themselves to a litre or more

Those who have unhealthy drinking and eating habits absorb too much fat and sugar and develop deficiencies in important vitamins and minerals. A lack of fruit and vegetables has been linked to a higher risk of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke. In addition, sweet and greasy food lowers your pain threshold. Too much soft drink, on the other hand, increases the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. By the way, obesity is a serious problem in our country, because about half of the population suffers from it.

The benefits of free healthy snacks and drinks

It pays to invest in free healthy snacks and drinks at the office, because a strong company runs on healthy employees. Moreover, as an employer, you also reap the benefits of this.

Benefits for the employee:

• A stronger immune system lowers the risk of chronic and infectious diseases 
• Higher energy, concentration, and productivity levels will make you feel better about yourself
• A positive working atmosphere stimulates the group feeling in your team

Benefits for the employer:

• Better productivity allows your team to do more in less time
• A positive company image reduces employee turnover and makes it easier to attract the right talent
• Reduced costs due to illness or absenteeism. Absenteeism costs a company with fifty employees an average of €75,252 per year

Moreover, according to the World Health Organization, you earn back up to fourteen times every euro you invest in well-being as an employer.

Responsible alternatives for the workplace

And then the question arises: what responsible and affordable alternatives do you offer? A large proportion of Flemish companies display free tea and coffee (92%) and fruit baskets (40%). In addition to these traditional solutions, several start-ups brought innovative alternatives to the market. Their offer is in line with the food triangle, which prescribes what constitutes healthy and environmentally responsible food.

By putting tasty, nutritious products at their fingertips, those players encourage better eating and drinking habits. Consider Gus Foods' smart fridge, which offers fresh, healthy, and local produce. Or take the healthy snack boxes with natural ingredients from JustBite. Canteen's one-stop shop, which delivers nutritious lunches, fruit and drinks, is another one.

Eating according to the food triangle is not only good for yourself, but also for the planet.

Getting started with healthy drinks

Convinced to take another step toward healthy habits in the workplace today? Start at the top of the nutrition triangle with an approachable rule: have your employees drink mostly tap water. Unlike bottled water, tap water is healthy (read: contains no microplastics) and good for the environment. Fancy something different? Switch to flavoured water, which provides variety and extra moisture.

The benefits of tap water highlighted.

The solution is at your fingertips! Dripl's packaging-free drink dispenser combines flat and sparkling water with natural concentrates. You connect the Refill Point to the water supply and immediately tap tap water, possibly enriched with a flavour of your choice. Think of it as the coffee machine's modern twin brother. Your cup of coffee is basically the same as a Dripl drink: flavoured water. And just as you reach for your cup of comfort for an energy boost, a Dripl drink does you the same service. One of the concentrates you can choose from, for example, is maté.

The three benefits of Dripl highlighted:

• Healthy: you tap tap water with natural concentrates
• Sustainable: you avoid packaging and give your sustainable character more visibility by introducing reusable bottles
• Easy: you simply connect the Dripl Refill Point to the water supply and replenish new flavours in an instant 

Ready to offer your employees free healthy drinks? Request your trial!