Katie Waxman, Author at SunDun Vending Blog

Break Rooms Refuel Arlington, VA Employees

April 3, 2020March 31, 2020 by Katie Waxman

The need for break rooms in Arlington, VA businesses that are fully stocked with healthy and popular refreshment options has recently increased. Whether it’s a great cup of coffee, a sought-after snack or a healthy beverage, access to on-site refreshments has become very important, especially for essential employees.

Staying healthy is also important. While all fruits and vegetables offer great nutrients and vitamins, the go to vitamin for an immune system boost is Vitamin C. And a popular source for Vitamin C is orange juice. Orange growers in the U.S. usually see an increase in demand for orange juice every year during cold and flu season, but this year, it appears that the demand for orange juice will be ongoing.

Mike Sparks, CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, recently explained that “orange juice is the most nutrient dense juice in the marketplace. Chuck-full, of course, with Vitamin C. There’s no question in my mind, there’s going to be a run on orange juice.”

Another beverage that can help keep the body healthy is water. Staying hydrated not only helps remove toxins from the body, but it also helps the muscles and joints to work better, keeps the body cool and supports the functions of many other systems.

Dehydration, on the other hand, can negatively influence the outcome of different parts of an employee’s day without them realizing it. For example, workplace productivity can be negatively impacted by dehydration because of a decrease in cognitive abilities, reduction in concentration and alertness, and slower reaction times, both mentally and physically.

The good news is that there are many different ways to offer hydrating beverages in Arlington, VA break rooms. Cold beverage options might include bottled water, filtered water, sparkling water (flavored or plain), iced tea and sports beverages. A hot beverage menu might include tea or coffee, which not only hydrates but offers a caffeine boost.

Break rooms should also offer something to eat with all of the beverage options. Whether it’s a healthy snack or a traditional snack or treat, there should be a variety of choices in the break room that support both physical health and morale. (Everyone needs a special treat every now and then.)

Arlington, VA employees’ needs have shifted because of the coronavirus. SunDun Office Refreshments is here to assist essential employers during this difficult time by providing snacks and beverages that will help recharge essential employees. For more information, please contact us at 800.466.2731.

Tea Lovers in McLean, VA, Let’s Celebrate Caffeine

April 1, 2020March 13, 2020 by Katie Waxman

While tea has long been known to be a healthy beverage because of the antioxidants in the leaves, McLean, VA employees can now enjoy their tea without worrying too much about the amount of caffeine. In fact, adults can add up to 400 mg/day of caffeine into their daily diet according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

March is Caffeine Awareness Month, and with more than three-quarters of the U.S. population starting their day with some sort of caffeine, let’s take a deeper look at everyone’s favorite energy boost–caffeine. In addition to coffee and tea, caffeine can be found in energy drinks, soda, smoothies, bars, chocolate and gum.

What is caffeine?

A very simple answer is caffeine is a stimulant that excites or activates the central nervous system. The results of that stimulation can vary widely as caffeine’s effects are based on each McLean, VA individual’s sensitivities, age, weight, medical history, and tolerances. Even though there are negative side effects from consuming too much caffeine (raised blood pressure, insomnia, indigestion, headaches and migraines, and increased anxiety), there are also several benefits.

For example, caffeine has been linked to enhanced alertness and memory, improved athletic performance, elevated mood, increased metabolism as well as a decrease in pain sensitivity for those with chronic pain. If the caffeine comes from coffee or tea, there are even more health benefits.

Does this beverage contain caffeine?

Knowing if a favorite coffee, tea or other cold beverage contains caffeine is important, but can sometimes be challenging to determine. The best thing for McLean, VA individuals to do is check the ingredients’ list. If the word “caffeine” is included, then there is synthetic caffeine, like in soda or energy drinks. If there is a type of plant like cocoa beans, kola nuts or green or black tea, then the caffeine comes from a natural source.

How much caffeine is in tea?

As with coffee, the answer to this question depends on a few factors including the type and how it’s prepared. Even though black, green and white teas come from the same plant, the differences in oxidation, brewing times and water temperature play a large role. For example, hotter water and longer steep times creates a stronger beverage.

Add in Matcha green tea, yerba mate, herbal teas and decaffeinated options and the number of potential answers grows. The following measurements highlight the variations of caffeine in one 8-oz cup tea.

black teas: 47 mg to 90 mg
green teas: 20 mg to 45 mg
white teas: 6 mg 60 mg
matcha: 70 mg
yerba mate: 85 mg
herbal teas: up to 12 mg
decaffeinated teas: less than 3 mg

Break Room Beverages

What types of hot, caffeinated beverages do your McLean, VA employees look for during their workday? Can they find them on-site? With a daily bank of up to 400 mg of caffeine for each employee, that’s three to five 8-oz cups of coffee or even more tea every day. Offering free coffee and tea in the break room is a great way to express your appreciation. Add snacks and cold beverages, and employees will be more likely to visit the break room instead of going off-site.

For more information about upgrading your current refreshment menu or customizing a new one, please call SunDun Office Refreshments at 800.466.2731.

Finding Sustainable Snacks in Washington, D.C.

March 1, 2020February 29, 2020 by Katie Waxman

How much do Washington, D.C. consumers really know about the snacks and beverages they consume? Some attributes like price, convenience and taste are relatively easy to determine, but whether an item was produced in an environmentally sustainable way is a lot harder to figure out.

In addition to taste (86 percent), price (68 percent) and convenience (57 percent), the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation’s 2019 Food and Health Survey determined that sustainability (54 percent) is an important factor when it comes to making a purchasing decision.

Unfortunately, those 54 percent of participants have different interpretations about what makes a product environmentally sustainable, creating some confusion. The following list includes the top six interpretations of environmentally sustainable.

locally produced products: 51 percent
products labeled as sustainably produced: 47 percent
products labeled as non-GMO/not bio-engineered: 47 percent
products labeled as organic: 44 percent
products that have recyclable packaging: 41 percent
products that have minimal packaging: 35 percent

With 63 percent of the survey participants also agreeing that it is hard to know if a product is environmentally sustainable, the confusion about the definition of environmentally sustainable makes sense. But a definition does exist. According to the U.N.’s Brundtland Commission on sustainable development, “sustainable development [meets] the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

To determine if snacks or beverages are sustainable look for the following certifications: USDA Organic, Animal Welfare Approved, Certified Humane Raised and Handled, Fair Trade USA Certified and Rainforest Alliance Certified. Another approach is to learn about a brand and the specific types of ingredients that brand uses. If an employee trusts a brand and is familiar with the types of ingredients that a brand uses, they are more likely to purchase that brand’s snacks and beverages.

Washington, D.C. employers can help ensure that environmentally sustainable products are available for their employees by including vending machines with healthy options, a variety of coffees and sustainable paper products in their break room. SunDun Office Refreshments makes that even easier for local businesses by offering a variety of healthy snacks, beverages, and delicious coffees. For more information about our menu, please call us at 800.466.2731.

Encourage Healthy Lunch Habits at Rockville, MD Businesses

February 24, 2020February 14, 2020 by Katie Waxman

How healthy is your heart? February may be best known for Valentine’s Day, but it is also American Heart Month, a time for Rockville, MD individuals to reconsider their diet and exercise habits and the impact those habits have on the health of their heart.

Making good food choices is an important component of developing a healthy lifestyle but expecting to make good food choices all the time is unrealistic. Rockville, MD individuals should instead be aware of the overall picture or pattern of their diet.

What does that mean? It’s being aware of the different types of snacks, food and beverages that are consumed. Is an individual eating a variety of nutritious foods from the different food groups? Are the portion sizes appropriate? It’s also noticing which circumstances like stress, fatigue or eating with friends trigger different types of eating patterns including unhealthy ones.

Lunch time is another event that can impact future food decisions that will be made throughout the rest of the day. A recent survey from the American Heart Association (AHA) and Aramark, a food service company, found that “more than three quarters of those surveyed say they’re more likely to make healthier decisions at other times of the day if they eat healthy at lunch.”

While those numbers are great news for the health of those surveyed, the likelihood that employees will actually eat a healthy lunch is much lower. The same survey also found that “56 percent of employed Americans who typically eat lunch during work struggle to make that meal healthy.” Rockville, MD employers have just been presented with an opportunity to step in and make a difference in the types of snacks, fresh food and beverages available in the break room.

Two additional results from the AHA and Aramark study show that employees are looking for a bit of help; 82 percent of participants believe access to healthy options at work is important, and 68 percent appreciate their employer’s help in becoming healthier. Creating opportunities for regular exercise during the workday is another approach employers can take to help their Rockville, MD employees become healthier.

Regular exercise not only helps maintain or lose weight, it also improves cardiovascular or heart health. If offering a gym membership or an onsite gym isn’t a realistic employee benefit, there are other ways employees can increase their physical activity during the workday. Taking a walk at lunch, parking further away from the building, using the stairs instead of the elevator and holding walking meetings are just a few ways employees can add a bit more movement to their day.

Employees who choose a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds and lean proteins and increase physical activity often have less stress, more energy and improved confidence. Now that sounds like a benefit for everyone.

For more information about updating or redesigning your vending machine refreshment menu to include healthier options, please call SunDun Office Refreshments at 800.466.2731. We look forward to working with you.