Healthcare Food Service Week

Proud Partners

2011-05-18T13:29:00.000-07:00

Promote the importance of teamwork this National Healthcare Food Service Week. Speak about it on the first day, and hand each employee a “Taking Pride In What We Do” Silicone Bracelet. Encourage all food workers to “band” together and wear the Bracelets throughout the week. On the last day, ask your employees to share examples of good teamwork strategies they have used recently. Then thank each person by giving out a “You’re The Key To Our Success” Spinning Key Tag With “Together We Make The Ordinary Extraordinary” Card.

Healthy Choices

2011-05-18T13:27:00.000-07:00

Stress the need for good nutrition by picking a food-related topic for each day during the week. Items to cover could be “Vitamins And Minerals,” “The Importance Of Fiber In Your Diet,” and “Limiting Sugars And Salt.” Make sure they are relevant for both employees and the people they serve. Spend five to 10 minutes going over each topic. After all are covered, host a salad bar luncheon for your food service workers. Provide at least 15 healthy food options including romaine lettuce, spinach, carrots, tomatoes, lean meats, and a selection of low-fat dressings. Use Salad Containers from the “Food And Nutrition Services: Excellence Is Our First Ingredient” Sandwich/Salad Container and Lunch Bag Combos to serve the salads and “Dietary Services: Seasoned With Pride” 25-Oz. Stainless Steel Water Bottles With Carabiners for beverages. Send employees home with the Salad Containers, Water Bottles, and Lunch Bags.

Good Catch

2011-05-18T13:26:00.000-07:00

Let your food service workers know that you notice and appreciate the thoughtful words they
say and kind acts they do. During National Healthcare Food Service Week, observe your employees interacting with others and completing their regular duties. When you see a food service staff member going above and beyond what is expected, give him or her a “You’ve Been Caught Doing Good” On-the-Spot Recognition Reward Token. Tell the employee to keep it to “cash it in” for a prize at the end of the week. Assign a number value to each item from the Dietary Services Gift-A-Day Package With T-Shirt. (For example, the T-Shirt could be worth 10 tokens.) Then let employees submit their “money” for a gift at the end of the week.

Winning Attitudes

2011-05-18T13:01:00.000-07:00

Show dietary service staff you think they’re number one! Kick off National Healthcare Food Service Week with a food service “pep rally.” Hang a banner that says, “(Your Facility’s Name) Thinks You’re #1!!!” (Have nonfood staff members sign it the week before.) Begin the pep rally by playing Gary Glitter’s “Rock And Roll (Parts 1 & 2),” also known as the “Hey!” song that is commonly heard at sporting events. Distribute “Food And Nutrition Services: Excellence Is Our First Ingredient” Apron & T-Shirt Combos to all of your employees as well as “Food And Nutrition Services: Excellence Is Our First Ingredient” Badge Holders. Encourage them to wear these items to show their food service pride!

Happy To Wear

2009-07-06T12:20:00.001-07:00

Outfit your staff members with Food & Nutrition Services Deluxe Denim Aprons to demonstrate your gratitude for the outstanding job they do. Pin a name on each apron and have them waiting at the start of shifts. Enhance the surprise by adding handwritten notes of thanks to Food & Nutrition Services Greeting Cards. Place the cards in the apron pockets. Your staff will appreciate the personalized messages.

Beyond Bingo

2009-07-06T12:19:00.000-07:00

Put your employees’ knowledge to the test. First obtain a standard bingo set. Next compose questions about your facility and also about food preparation. Gather everyone and explain that you’ll be playing bingo with a twist. When each number is called, read a question. Whoever has the number on his or her card should write down an answer. To win a round of bingo, a player needs to have correctly answered the questions that go with the five in-a-row squares. Award gifts for winning, such as “Food & Nutrition Services: The Profession With Good Taste” Antibacterial Sanitizer Pocket Spray or Lapel Pin Badge Holders.

Name That Food

2009-07-06T12:18:00.002-07:00

In your department, meals are serious business. But for National Healthcare Food Service Week, create a meal for your appreciation luncheon that’s also a game. Prepare foods that are less common, such as jicama, quinoa and dragon fruit. Ask your luncheon guests to identify the foods as they eat them. Give everyone “Dietary Services: Caring & Commitment, Our Main Ingredients” Palm Graters and Measuring Combo Packs for being good sports.

Cake Master

2009-07-06T12:18:00.001-07:00

Encourage creativity by organizing a cake baking and decorating contest. Have your employees sign up ahead of time if they want to take part. Then you can order a “Dietary Services: A Recipe For Excellence” T-Shirt for each one. As is done on the Food Network’s Last Cake Standing show, announce a theme for the cakes, such as fairytales. If your facility doesn’t have an oven per contestant, let them do the baking at home. Require that the decorating take place at work. Recruit some “celebrity” judges from bakeries around town to decide on a winner. Reward the first-place baker with a Dietary Services Deluxe Backpack.

Looking Good Enough To Eat

2008-07-21T09:42:00.002-07:00

Looking Good Enough To Eat Inspire your dietary services staff members to stretch the limits of their imaginations. Challenge them to dress up as their favorite food items. Don’t give any suggestions on how to accomplish this. Be prepared to take pictures of their creations. On costume day, hand out “Dietary Services: Seasoned With Excellence” Deluxe Lunch Bags to everyone who has dressed up. If you want to turn the activity into a contest, offer a “Dietary Services: Seasoned With Excellence” Deluxe Denim Apron as the prize.

Testing Their Memory

2008-07-21T09:42:00.001-07:00

By spending a few more minutes preparation time for your National Healthcare Food Service Week event, you can add lots more fun. Gather two or three dozen small items from around your facility (measuring spoons, spices, etc.). Place them on a tray and cover with a cloth. Give each employee some paper and a pencil. Uncover the tray for 60 seconds, allowing everyone a chance to study the items. Then, with the tray covered, ask participants to write down as many items as they can remember. Award a “Food & Nutrition Services One Mission: Good Nutrition” Navy Micro fleece Blanket or a “Food & Nutrition Services One Mission: Good Nutrition” Tote Bag & Water Bottle Combo to the winner of the game.

Moving Gifts

2008-07-21T09:41:00.003-07:00

Every year, find a unique way to distribute gifts of appreciation during your recognition week. In 2008, try playing a version of musical chairs called “musical gifts.” Start by gift wrapping items that aren’t too bulky, such as “Great Staff, Great Team” Ceramic Mug & Stationery Sets and “Great Staff, Great Team” Baseball Caps. Hold a mini get-together, complete with snacks, decorations and music. Instruct everyone to pick out a wrapped gift and stand in a circle. Play a song as you have your employees pass around the gifts; when the music stops, each person keeps the gift in his or her hand.

Finding Pyramid Potential

2008-07-21T09:41:00.001-07:00

Make National Healthcare Food Service Week enjoyable and educational. Adorn your facility with the posters and balloons from the Food & Nutrition Services Decoration Pack . They feature our “One Mission: Good Nutrition” logo, which shows the USDA’s food pyramid. Plan an activity each day that involves the food pyramid. For example, see who can separate real food into the food groups the fastest. Also, have your employees list as many foods in each food group as they can. Give them time on a computer with Internet access so they can go to www.MyPyramid.gov to learn how much they should be eating. Use the items in the Food & Nutrition Services Deluxe Gift-A-Day Packages as daily rewards for participating.