Case Study: How Our New Salad Bar is Empowering Our People Through Nutrition
In our continuous effort to promote health and wellness within our facilities, we recently rolled out a revamped salad bar that has quickly become a favorite among our teammates. While we may not be a school, our food lunchrooms and school lunchrooms share many similarities.
W e have a wide range of ages and appetites to feed. Just like it is so important for a learning or teaching mind to be nourished, a working teammate must also be properly fueled. We hope that sharing our learn- ings will inspire empowering changes to your menu! Asking Eaters What is Important to Them The journey to our new salad bar began with a simple yet powerful idea: our surveyed team said the offerings in the lunchroom were their TOP benefit, but they also noted it needed improvement. For many students and staff, we assume lunch would also be at the top of their list as a favorite time of the day with big potential for being nour- ishing and impactful. Take a moment to ask a sample set of eaters what is most important to them, then you will know exactly where to focus your energy in 2025. Hone In on Areas to Improve on the Specific Topic We conducted a comprehensive survey, asking our teammates what they wanted to see in the salad bar. The responses were enlightening and guided us in creat- ing a salad bar that truly meets their needs and prefer- ences. We asked what ingredients they like to bring from home, what were their favorites on the current bar and what was missing. By digging deeper on this specific top - ic, we knew exactly which ingredients got their yuck or yum vote. Once you know what area you will focus on, dig deep on preferences and behaviors to find areas of improvement.
Predictable Variety is Key One of our standout learning? The teammates surveyed wanted predictable variety. We didn’t have to come up with 100 great salads to feature with a new one each day. Instead, they asked that we design a handful of nutritious options that change on a regular cycle. This not only keeps the menu fresh and interesting but also helps our team- mates plan their meals and look forward to their favorite options. It also is doable for our food prep team. The salad each week is posted in the lunchroom with nutrition tips depending on an individual’s health goals. To avoid biting off more than your team can chew, remember that hu - mans like predictable variety. You don’t have to reinvent the menu every single day. The Outcome: A Nourished and Empowered Team The impact of the revamped salad bar has been profound. Teammates have reported feeling more energized and sat- isfied with their meals, and the variety of options has en - couraged them to make healthier choices, while truly look - ing forward to lunch as not only a break from their work, but a moment of culinary joy. Our experience with the salad bar highlights the importance of involving the eaters in improvement initiatives. By listening to our teammates and incorporating their feedback, we have created a pro - gram that not only meets their needs but also empowers them to take charge of their health and wellness as they tweak their salad concoction. It serves as a testament to the power of community-driven initiatives and the impor- tance of providing nutritious options in promoting overall well-being.
Annelise McAuliffe Soares | Ready Foods Annelise is the Director of Marketing & Brand Stewardship at Ready Foods in Denver, Colorado. Graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Annelise has spent her career making sure food sounds appetizing on paper, looks good in pictures and tastes amazing when you order it. Her day-to-day consists of working at Ready Foods to connect food service operators with ready-to-use kitchen solutions that are delicious, not difficult. Her favorite hot lunch in elementary school was always nacho day.
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