Katie Waxman, Author at Millennium Refreshment Services Blog

Your Tampa Break Room Is More Important Than Ever

May 28, 2020 by Katie Waxman

The break room can change a Tampa employee’s workplace experience. A well-designed break room that offers popular snacks, beverages, and fresh food is a place for relaxation, spontaneous interaction between colleagues, and creativity as well as a spot to grab a bite to eat or drink. Even though the impact of COVID-19 during the past several months has substantially decreased break room visits, micro-markets and vending machines still have an important role to play as employees return to work.

It’s clear that each Tampa employer will approach reopening their place of business differently and on a timetable that fits their unique organization.

Promoting CDC recommended guidelines for “healthy hygiene practices such as hand washing and employees wearing a cloth face covering, as feasible” as well as encouraging social distancing or staying at least 6 feet away from other individuals and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces daily are just a few new behaviors employers will likely be recommending.

Break rooms with a micro-market or vending machines are also a tool that Tampa employers can use to encourage social distancing and fewer person-to-person interactions among employees. For example,

Both micro-markets and vending machines offer cashless or touchless payment options including mobile payments and are great for grab-and-go situations.
To use a micro-market, employees will scan their snack or beverage; scan their smartphone or swipe a debit/card; and walk away.
To use a vending machine, employees will touch the machine once; scan their smartphone or swipe a debit/card; and walk away.
Both micro-markets and vending machines are open 24/7, keeping employees onsite during their workday.
Staying on-site instead of going off-site for a bite to eat or beverage helps employees avoid external and less controllable environments.

Employers should also consider the types of snacks, beverages, and fresh food that will be offered. Eating healthy is more important than ever. Healthier ingredients like fruits and vegetables provide the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that the human body needs to support the immune system. Bottled water and other healthy beverages keep everything in the body hydrated and moving more efficiently.

But it is also wise to offer traditional options that are “fun” or provide a mental boost such as chocolate and other snacks. Most Tampa employees have been under prolonged stress, and while eating healthy is important, a favorite snack or beverage can provide a bit of an emotional or mental pick-me-up. Offering a balance of traditional and healthy options will help employees find the products they need when they want them.

For more information about our safety practices or upgrading your refreshment menu or break room space to include a micro-market or vending machines, please contact Millennium Refreshment Services at 813-882-4300. We look forward to helping you bring your employees back to work.

Break Room Service Providers Lead the Way in Tampa

May 12, 2020 by Katie Waxman

Workstations, desks, and the break room are just a few of the physical spaces that businesses have to consider as they begin the process of reopening. In addition, Tampa employers are developing new procedures and accommodations to ensure employee safety amidst ongoing concerns about COVID-19. Decisions made regarding the break room should be an important part of the plan.

Last week, members of the refreshment services industry gathered virtually to send a heartfelt and reassuring message to everyone. Shot in isolation from each individual’s home or business, the message is an inspiring 2-minute video. The takeaway is clear: break room service providers everywhere are here to support companies as they transition toward a new work environment.

Millennium Refreshment Services is responding appropriately and following the state’s COVID-19 re-opening schedules and guidelines as well as adopting stricter health and safety procedures for our employees.

In addition to maintaining social distancing practices, our route drivers are washing their hands or changing into a new pair of gloves before each visit. They are also sanitizing all contact surfaces and high touch areas at the end of every service call. Their goal is to leave Tampa break rooms cleaner than when they arrived. Additionally, we have implemented social distancing policies in our offices and distribution centers and are closely monitoring our employees’ health.

Before COVID-19, break rooms were an important resource, but today, they have become an even more valuable benefit for Tampa employees. Micro-markets and vending machines provide a safer way for employees to access fresh foods, snacks, and beverages. Products available in micro-markets and vending machines are individually wrapped in secure packaging for a quick, grab-and-go experience. Vending machines and micro-markets also offer cashless payment options, limiting contact even further.

Providing employees with plenty of fresh foods, snacks, and beverages in the break room not only encourages employees to stay on-site but also limits potential exposure to viruses that can occur during off-site trips. Let’s work together to keep everyone safe.

For more information about customizing a refreshment menu or our safety procedures, please contact us at 813-882-4300.

Healthy Vending Options Help Tampa Employees

April 28, 2020 by Katie Waxman

Everyone can agree that eating healthy is important, but making it happen every day can be a challenge. According to a recent survey from the American Heart Association and Aramark, a U.S. based food service company, participants expressed that availability of healthy foods (43 percent), “convenience (60%) and taste preference (54%) as having a great deal/quite a bit of impact on choosing an unhealthy lunch.”

While those numbers aren’t the best, there are two other numbers that are better. “More than 4 in 5 (82%) agree that having healthy food options at work is important to them and more than 2 in 3 (68%) value help from their employer in becoming healthier.”

Understanding these statistics and taking the next step can help employers determine the best way to provide break room refreshments for their employees. Rather than assuming which products employees would like to have available, employers should survey their employees to find out. Different individuals will have different preferences that develop from a number of factors including upbringing, genetics, culture and individual experiences.

So, what makes a snack better-for-you? The broad definition is a snack that has a high nutritional value or one that is high in protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber but low in calories, fat, sugar and sodium. A popular example is nuts. While nuts are high in calories and fat, they have lots of important nutrients.

The following are three suggestions for choosing healthier snacks.

choose a snack that has between 150 and 250 calories. Always check the portion size on the nutrition label. The portion size and the size of the package are often two different amounts.
choose items that have about 3 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein per serving. Since fiber and protein can create a feeling of fullness, Tampa employees are likely to stay full longer, decreasing the overall amount eaten.
avoid snacks that have more than 12 grams of fat per serving. Consuming too many saturated fats can raise LDL or “bad” cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Whether Tampa employees need an unplanned pick-me-up or didn’t have time to fix something at home to bring to work with them, access to healthy vending machine snacks and beverages is a great option. It also supports what employees are looking for—convenient and tasty choices and help from their employer to become healthier and access to better-for-you choices at work.

We at Millennium Refreshment Services believe in supporting the Tampa area by providing a large selection of better-for-you and traditional snacks and beverages in our vending machines. For more information about our vending solutions, micro-market offerings and coffee service, please contact us at 813-882-4300.

Reducing Stress in Tampa

April 20, 2020April 16, 2020 by Katie Waxman

April is National Stress Awareness month. It’s also spring, which means trees are budding, flowers are blooming, and the grass is turning green. The signs of new growth in Tampa will soon bring vibrant colors and sweet smells to delight in.

Spending time enjoying nature, whether inside or out, is a healthy activity for Tampa employees. Research has shown that “Being in nature, or even viewing scenes of nature, reduces anger, fear, and stress and increases pleasant feelings.”

Enjoying nature is just one of the many different things that can be done to help reduce stress and create a calmer state of mind. The key is remembering what works and what doesn’t. Below are six suggestions that everyone should consider.

Diet: Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean sources of protein, and drink lots of hydrating beverages. Not only will you have more energy, but you’ll be able to deal with what the day brings more easily.

Exercise: Keep moving even if it’s only going for a walk or taking a yoga class online. Regular physical activity is necessary to maintain a healthy body, but it can also help relax the muscles and improve one’s mood.

Sleep: Getting enough sleep while feeling stressed out can be hard, but not getting enough can make it even tougher. Try to develop a healthy bedtime routine that encourages relaxation and includes turning off electronics at least 30 minutes before bed and spending some time reading or meditating.

Feelings: Whether it’s talking with a trusted friend or family member or writing everything out, expressing what is causing stress is a great way to problem solve and let the brain know that you’ve got this.

Planning and Priorities: Take some time to think about what is important. From there, set some short-term goals. They might include planning ahead, getting organized or a list of healthy snacks to enjoy. Either way creating order out of what feels chaotic helps the brain to relax.

And finally, smile, laugh and have some fun. Whether it’s a new hobby or an old one, a funny movie or just being silly with family or coworkers, each of these activities is great for one’s mood and overall health.

While we may not be able to help Tampa essential employees exercise or get more sleep, we are here to provide refreshments including healthy snacks and beverages, fresh food and coffee service to their break rooms. Continuing to offer these services to essential employees will help them stay on-site during their workday and keep their focus on their responsibilities. For more information about our current services, please call Millennium Refreshment Services at 813-882-4300.

Break Rooms Refuel Tampa Employees

April 2, 2020March 31, 2020 by Katie Waxman

The need for break rooms in Tampa 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 Tampa 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 fresh food, 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.)

Tampa employees’ needs have shifted because of the coronavirus. Millennium Refreshment Services is here to assist essential employers during this difficult time by providing snacks, fresh food and beverages that will help recharge essential employees. For more information, please contact us at 813-882-4300.

Tea Lovers in Tampa, Let’s Celebrate Caffeine

March 17, 2020March 13, 2020 by Katie Waxman

While tea has long been known to be a healthy beverage because of the antioxidants in the leaves, Tampa 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 Tampa 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 Tampa 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 Tampa 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, cold beverages and fresh food, 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 Millennium Refreshment Services at 813-882-4300.

Finding Sustainable Snacks in Tampa

March 1, 2020February 29, 2020 by Katie Waxman

How much do Tampa 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.

Tampa employers can help ensure that environmentally sustainable products are available for their employees by including micro-markets or vending machines with healthy options, a variety of coffees and sustainable paper products in their break room. Millennium Refreshment Services makes that even easier for local businesses by offering a variety of healthy snacks, beverages, fresh food and delicious coffees. For more information about our menu, please call us at 813-882-4300.

Encourage Healthy Lunch Habits at Tampa 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 Tampa 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. Tampa 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.” Tampa 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 Tampa 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 micro-market, pantry service or vending machine refreshment menu to include healthier options, please call Millennium Refreshment Services at 813-882-4300. We look forward to working with you.