Another area to explore change is in the messaging your facility or community gives to its staff and patrons. It is important to identify if your facility or community is promoting health with healthy messaging or if you are promoting less healthy behaviours through promotional displays from sponsors (e.g. Coca-Cola branded clocks in gymnasiums or Pepsi branded vending machines, etc.). Promoting healthy eating and healthy living by displaying posters, banners or marketing material can help to change behaviour towards making healthier choices.
Areas to consider include:
- Workshops
- Host workshops on the importance of healthy eating.
- Visit Health Canada’s website for information and materials on Nutrition and Healthy Eating
- Ensure healthy foods and beverages are served.
- Use marketing materials to reinforce messaging. Post the flyers available on the Marketing to Children Awareness area to help inform your patons and create media literacy among parents
- Encourage food safety training. Caring About Food Safety is a great, user-friendly and free online course that takes about 1.5 hrs to complete
- Host workshops on the importance of healthy eating.
- Website development
- Include information about your Healthy Choices Facility status on your website and list your Healthy Choices goals or policy.
- Promotional material
- Distribute Stay Active Eat Healthy marketing materials around your facility, such as posters, clings and flyers.
- Newsletters
- Raise awareness of the importance of healthy eating and your facility’s commitment to fostering healthy living.
Tips from facility staff
- Educate front-line staff
- Ensure front-line staff have the knowledge they need to understand why the changes are occurring and are able to relay that information to patrons. In addition, if staff support the initiative they can help lead by example. There is flyer available you can circulate to staff on creating awaress around Marketing to Children.
- Market the healthy options
- Conduct taste tests of new products with staff and patrons before making the switch to ensure you have products that taste good and meet the requirements of your clientele.
- Display healthier options in prominent positions in the vending machines or concessions.
