The Metz team realizes that eating well means eating a variety of healthy foods in the right amounts so a body gets the nutrients needed to maintain good health and work properly.

The dining management provider will be using educational tools, such as healthy tips and quizzes developed by the Metz dietary staff, to help educate clients in accounts ranging from schools, colleges & universities to hospitals & assisted living facilities and business & industry.

The Metz staff at Mercy Hospital in Scranton has a variety of events and promotions planned to celebrate National Nutrition Month. According to Helen Pickering, RD, LDN, CDE, Metz & Associates, Ltd., Metz will host events and provide special menu items in the cafeteria for hospital staff and visitors and also bring information on healthy food choices to the patients served in the hospital, as well as promoting it among Metz staff members. “Throughout the month, our staff will wear special aprons and buttons promoting National Nutrition Month,” Pickering said. “We will also be hosting a free luncheon and seminar on the topic of nutrition for hospital employees and all patient trays will have specially-designed place mats and napkins, as well as handouts containing nutritional information, tips and quizzes.”

Those employees and guests entering the Mercy Hospital cafeteria will be greeted with an array of nutritional information displayed in the form of posters, table tents, banners, handouts and more. “We will have nutritional quizzes for guests to test their knowledge, and we will be handing out plenty of prizes and giveaways,” said Lindsey Perry, assistant director of foodservice for Metz & Associates at Mercy Hospital. “We will also be repeating a very popular nutrition month tradition we started last year, which is offering both regular and healthier versions of popular food items in the cafeteria throughout the month.” Just as an example, guests will get to choose from a traditional version or healthier version of a dessert favorite – a banana split. There will also be a healthy selection of menu items with an emphasis on fresh fruits and vegetables.

The staff in all accounts will also promote Metz’ new HEALTHchecks program with healthy combo meals and snacks that are lower in saturated fats, calories and sodium. They will also provide healthy cooking demonstrations and recipes, give examples of healthy shopping lists, and feature a healthy food item each day, displaying information such as its nutritional value and health benefits.

At Western Pennsylvania Hospital Forbes Regional Campus, the Metz team plans to start off national nutrition month with a healthy cooking display featuring Metz Chef Greg Fried preparing Asian noodle bowls and various stir fry’s for the crowd on hand. “At Forbes, going green for St Patrick’s Day will mean a produce showcase featuring an array of organic vegetables and various information on organic products,” said Theresa E. Shaffer, clinical nutrition manager, Metz & Associates, Ltd. at Forbes Regional Hospital. “Other events planned include presentations on bone health and dietary fats & cholesterol, as well as an overview of everyday herbs featuring samples and recipes.”

Throughout the month, those served by Metz in all accounts will learn about portion distortion, and how to relate portion to everyday things, such as a comparing a portion of chicken to a deck of playing cards and a portion of pasta to the size of a tennis ball. They’ll also learn what qualifies a food organic and the benefits of organic foods, as well as the importance of whole grains and fibers and also how to read and understand food labels.

“Proper nutrition, coupled with exercise, is a key element of leading a healthy lifestyle at any age,” said Kathy Gonzalez, MEd, RD, LDN, vice president of Nutrition Education Services, Metz & Associates, Ltd. “Healthy eating is not about keeping a strict diet or depriving yourself of the foods you love, but rather eating the nutritionally sound foods that make you feel great and give you the energy you need. Learning some nutritional basics and incorporating them in a way that works for you can help you achieve a healthier lifestyle. It is our goal in March, and every month, to help the guests we serve learn to choose the types of foods that can improve health.”

Metz & Associates, Ltd., a premier food service company for the Northeast United States, provides dining and environmental management to clients such as hospitals, assisted living & long-term care facilities, school districts and independent schools, colleges and universities and corporate offices. For more information on Metz & Associates, Ltd., visit our website at www.metzltd.com or call 570-675-8100.