Eat your greens and don't skip meals for positive mental health - that's the message of the third part of Lime Venue Portfolio's Beyond Food Report.
The report, which continues its exploration of food within the events industry, is produced in partnership with BCD Meetings & Events and includes empirical evidence, expert commentary and opinion from across the world of events.
Within the report is a piece created by MIND, the mental health charity, that breaks down how different food groups can support good mental health practices. Its top five include:
• Eat regularly: it keeps your blood sugar levels up, helping prevent irritability and tiredness
• Eat more wholegrains: they release energy gradually, stopping the feeling of a rush then a slump as energy levels remain steady
• Eat more greens: for folate, zinc and magnesium
• Eat more fruit and veg: your five a day contain a rich mix of minerals and vitamins, essential for a healthy mind.
• Eat plenty of protein: it contains an amino acid called tryptophan which has been linked with healthy brain function
The report then looks at how these practices can be incorporated into menu design for delegates and also better eating options for pressurised event organisers. The chapter also has a contribution from Mindy Hanzlik, senior solution designer at BCD Meetings & Events, with some top tips for event organisers looking to design ‘food and mood’ supportive menus. They include:
• Not everyone drinks alcohol – so make sure there are plenty of choices for them too
• Group exercise can cause anxiety
• Take a tech break
• From breathing to meditation
Also, included within the report is an interview with Andrew Walker, executive chef at Chartwells, Compass Group’s education business, who explores the unique relationship between food and mental health.
He said: “We already know that food has a larger impact than the initial sensory experience; it can play a role in productivity, mood, concentration – all things we need to consider in the events world when we feed large numbers of people.
“We can help delegates feel good about themselves if they know that we care about food wastage and provenance as much as they do. Whether cooking at home or for a large-scale event, the green credentials and principles behind it have to be real. Good food needs to equal good mood.”
Chapter III of Beyond Food follows on from Chapter I which looked at food wastage and #FORO (fear of running out), and Chapter II which looked at the Emergence of the Plant-Based Menu. Chapter IV of the six-part series will shortly turn to ‘The Blue Planet Effect’.
M&IT editor Paul Harvey is a journalist with more than 15 years of experience. He began his career in the local press, working for various titles across the north. Since joining M&IT in 2013, he has become a trusted and respected voice in the sector, championing event professionals and reporting on all aspects of the events industry for the brand.
