Meeting Well

Take Charge of Your Health

Having a morning meeting and need suggestions on some healthy food options:

Fresh Fruit
Low-fat breakfast burrito
Yogurt- low or non-fat
Hard cooked eggs
Whole wheat or multi-grain mini bagels – 3 ½” diameter or less (or cut regular bagels in half)
Small muffins (2-2 ½ or smaller) – bran, oatmeal, or multi-grain (large muffins can be cut into smaller portion sizes)
Fruit quick breads (i.e., oatmeal, banana, pumpkin) – cut into small pieces
Whole grain toast or English muffins
Offer low fat cheese, low fat cream cheese, peanut butter, jam or jelly
Granola bars – low fat (5 grams of fat or less per bar)
Low-fat granola

What about lunch/dinner…healthy choices are listed below:

Salad with low-fat or fat-free dressing on the side
Soups – vegetarian broth based or skim milk based (not cream)
Pasta salad with low-fat dressing
Sandwiches made with whole grain breads or wraps made with lean meats, low-fat cheese, low-fat condiments
2-3 ounce serving – lean meats, poultry, fish, tofu (3 grams fat/oz.)
Steamed vegetables with herbs/lemon
Whole grain rolls
Fresh fruit, canned fruit in fruit juice or light syrup
Include at least one vegetable – fresh or cooked (avoid cream sauces)
Baked potatoes with low fat toppings (low-fat sour cream, low-fat plain yogurt, or salsa)
When serving desserts, offer small serving sizes. Consider: angel food cake (2” square) with fresh fruit topping, low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt.
Boxed lunches/dinners – whole grain or pita bread or wraps prepared with low-fat mayonnaise lettuce, sprouts, tomatoes, onions, pickles, mustard, catsup; meats, poultry or marinated tofu (low-fat = 3 grams fat/oz); cheese, request fruit or veggies instead of chips; or if including chips request pretzels or baked chips (7 grams fat or less/oz)

Need suggestions for a morning or afternoon meeting snack? Look below at all the ideas:

Consider whether it is necessary to provide food at the meetings, presentations, and seminars, especially mid-morning and mid-afternoon.
Fresh fruit – cut up and offered with low-fat yogurt dip
Tortilla chips – baked and offered with salsa dip
Raw vegetables - cut up and offered with fat-free or low-fat dressing or salsa dip
Pretzels, hot pretzels cut in pieces or baked chips (7 grams of fat or less per ounce)
Low-fat cheese, string cheese
Granola bars – low fat ( 5 grams of fat or less per bar)
“Lite” popcorn (lightly salted)
Whole grain crackers
Dried fruit or trail mix
Roasted nuts

Having a catered event but still want to keep it healthy…look at the suggestions below:

Select an entrée with no more than 12-15 gram of fat
Always offer a vegetarian entrée
Avoid fried foods or cream sauces
Fresh fruit – cut up and offered with low-fat yogurt dip
Include at least one vegetable – fresh or cooked, with no butter or cream sauces added
Choose lower fat/lower calorie desserts: low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt, sherbet or
sorbet, angel food cake with fruit topping

Having a reception but still want to keep it healthy:

Raw vegetables salads marinated in fat-free or low-fat Italian dressing
Raw vegetables – cut up and offered with fat-free or low-fat dressing, salsa or tofu dip
Pasta, tofu, and vegetable salad with fat-free or low-fat dressing
Fresh fruit - cup up and offered with low-fat yogurt dip
Vegetable sushi rolls
Vegetable spring rolls – fresh, not fried
Low fat cheese slice or small cubes
Reduced or low-fat whole grain crackers
Salmon (poached or steamed, no breading)
Lean beef or turkey – 1 ounce slices
Miniature meatballs made with lean meat
Mushroom caps with low-fat cheese stuffing
Miniature pizzas made with English muffins, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and mushrooms
Roasted nuts
Cake – cut into small 2” squares

Beverages…

References:

Seattle King County Health Department
University of Minnesota School of Public Health