Eating a high protein diet is often associated with athletes, bodybuilders, or those trying to diet for weight loss. However, high protein diets can be beneficial for nearly everyone with normal dietary needs. You don’t have to go on the ketogenic diet or eat nothing but ground beef and rice to reap the benefits either. According to research, many adult Americans don’t even get their daily suggested amount which can lead to health problems and vitamin deficiencies.
In the workplace, being in poor health from your dietary choices can have detrimental effects on your ability to perform your daily tasks. Not getting enough amino acids, something found abundantly in sources of protein, can cause a drop in dopamine, leading to mood changes and difficulty focusing. You might feel tired or weak as well. In worst-case scenarios, you might even become anemic, leading to dizzy spells, nausea, and other unpleasant symptoms.
Protein is an easy way to keep your body functioning at its full capacity without running yourself into the ground. We’ll go over some ways protein is beneficial and how you can incorporate protein into your staff’s diets to ensure they feel prepared to take on the day.
Protein and its Benefits at Work
Protein is made up of millions of tiny building blocks called “amino acids”. You might be eating them more often than you think, too. Here’s a list of foods that contain higher amounts of protein:
- Chicken, pork, beef, and other types of meat.
- Animal products like eggs, milk, yogurt, and cheese.
- Nuts and seeds.
- Legumes like beans, lentils, and soy products.
- Certain grains like quinoa.
- Seafood.
Some foods have lower amounts of protein as well, like leafy greens, broccoli, and corn. It’s almost impossible to avoid protein altogether and you’ve probably ate many of these foods today as you’re reading this. According to the USDA, 10-35% of the calories you consume per day should be protein. They also state you should eat protein throughout your day to remain productive and have the best effect.
There are a ton of great benefits for high protein diets. Everything from keeping your blood pressure down, reducing appetite and hunger frequency, and keeping you fit and healthy. If you’re looking to lose weight, high protein is a great option as well. In a study done with approximately 182,000 people, it was found that diets with a variety of vegetables and protein were associated with increased grey matter in the brain. Healthy employees will always lead to higher levels of productivity no matter how you slice it, so incorporating high protein meals into your office lunches can keep your staff pushing through the day with ease.
Emphasizing High Protein Lunch Ideas For Your Catering Options
Since it’s easy to find protein from a variety of sources, you can maximize your protein through carefully coordinated menu items. Big, delicious chef salads with eggs, cheese, and grilled chicken, exquisite quiches made with ham and cheese, and even just some hummus with pita are all fantastic options for high protein foods.
As with any meal you choose, taste is key. If the foods you serve don’t taste good, nobody will eat them and you’ll end up with a lot of hungry and disappointed employees. This can make productivity worse, so be sure to look for trusted catering options. You can even use services like Zerocater to make things easy for you. We’ll go into more detail about that later. Let’s look at some of the ways you can maximize your high protein menu.
Vegan and Vegetarian Protein Options
We mentioned that taste is key, but if you’re serving nothing but meat and animal products, some of your staff won’t be able to even try the foods you’re serving. Make sure you cover all your bases when creating your menu so everyone can enjoy the benefits of a high protein meal. A study found that vegans consumed the least total protein compared to other diet groups, meaning they’re more susceptible to the icky effects of low protein. You can help maximize their productivity by offering them delicious legume dishes or tofu-heavy meals.
Variety
Keeping with the theme of getting your staff to eat, try to avoid getting the same things all the time. You don’t have to remove foods that your teams love, but mixing it up every once in a while keeps it fresh. Sometimes having a chicken burrito bowl every day is great, but that can get old pretty fast. Options are also important, try to give your staff high protein meals they can choose from instead of just having one.
Protein Snacks
Snacks are the perfect way to get through meals. Offering protein bars, beef jerky, or nuts and seeds as snacks can make a huge difference in somebody’s ability to function throughout the day. Workers who are satisfied with their job perks like snacks have a 37% increase in achieving sales targets, why not make those snacks high in protein? You can maximize the appeal of offering free food while offering free food that’s beneficial to both you and your employees.
Start Adding High Protein Lunch Ideas Into Your Office Catering
If you’re ready to start incorporating high protein meals into your office catering, Zerocater makes it easy. We offer services for businesses of any size or budget alongside an app that allows you to find the exact types of meals you’d like to serve. We’ll even remember what you liked or didn’t like from your previous orders and make new suggestions with our AI. Since Zerocater is specifically for businesses, you get the benefits of a customized experience for office catering, lunches, and even options for hybrid workers. If you’re interested in learning more about how we can improve your catering ventures, click “Get Pricing” and tell us about yourself. We’re excited to hear from you!
