We think Worksite Wellness programs are fantastic, because they cultivate peer support and collaboration for building healthier habits. Here’s another great example of VegOut! making a positive impact in the workplace. Now, this particular workplace happens to be an iconic Texas restaurant chain — Luby’s — where scores of people come in their doors and proceed to make food choices as they slide their tray along the stainless steel rails of the serving line.
We are proud to have Luby’s as a sponsor of Recipe for Success for the past 2 years, and as a VegOut! sponsor for 2015. “Luby’s Fuddruckers Restaurants, LLC got started as an Angel Affiliate and help create a vegetable garden for Lovett Elementary,” says Chisolm Tate, Human Resources Manager for Luby’s. “During the set-up for the garden, Molly Kaminski with Recipe for Success suggested that I VegOut! I took it a step further and in 2014: a team of 24 employees, including myself, took the challenge. We purchased a juicer and juiced a lot of the veggies — it was a fun activity and built a healthier team.”
The company makes an effort year round to foster healthy habits amongst employees. “Studies have shown that healthy employees get work done more efficiently and effectively,” says Tate. “We have a very large customer base and need to stay sharp and keen on all items facing us and our healthy employees drive this.”
Luby’s’ Benefits Department manages the company wellness program. “The benefits manager creates Lunch and Learn events, geared around being healthy each month,” says Tate. “We hold quarterly blood drives for the main office employees and this is our second year to participate in the Veg Out! program.” He adds that the benefits manager also coordinates with their health insurance company to send weekly emails about staying healthy. During VegOut!, the benefits manager also distributes a veggie juice recipe each day.
Tate brims with pride about the number of employees signed up for VegOut! 2015. “We currently have 69 employees registered and Vegging Out,” says Tate. “This is more than double our team from last year. We have contracted with our food distributor so that fresh fruits and vegetables are delivered on Monday and we create a juice or a salad to promote the VegOut! Challenge. We will be doing a drawing from all the employee vegetable logs turned in for three prizes of $25 gift cards.”
Tate says he hopes to see that eating healthier improves his mood, attitude, and work habits and helps him reduce snacking throughout the day. He also shares a success story from last year: “A manager of a restaurant unit took the VegOut! Challenge, then continued to eat nothing but veggies and lost 50 pounds,” says Tate. “He has kept the habit of eating veggies and says that his work is not so hard on his body and he doesn’t miss the extra weight.” Tate says he hopes to see even more success stories from this year’s participants.
WORKSITE WELLNESS LEADERS TAKE NOTE! We’re offering the Worksite Wonder Prize just for you! The Houston-area worksite Team Leader who builds the largest TEAM of finishers will be rewarded with a dinner for twelve at our own RecipeHouse. SEE THE PRIZES PAGE FOR DETAILS!
