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5 Easy Snack Foods to Take on a Road Trip in Your New Car

We all know the feeling of excitement when buying a new car. But while you’re taking it out on the open road, make sure you have plenty of snacks to keep everyone happy. It’s a good idea to have a mix of healthy and indulgent choices in the car so that you can satisfy your sweet tooth in a pinch. But when you’re not indulging, you should still have a few healthy snacks to keep your energy up and your blood sugar stable. Here are five easy snack foods to take on a road trip in your new car.

1. Healthful Apples with Peanut Butter

The combination of apples and peanut butter is a classic way to satisfy your sweet tooth, but this one’s loaded with healthy nutrients and has a hearty crunch. It’s also easy enough for you and your kids to eat on the road if you don’t want to stop. Use an apple slicer to cut the apples and make them easier to eat while driving. Then spread peanut butter on the apple slices with a butter knife and enjoy!

2. Single-Serve Nuts

Nuts are a great food to eat on the road because they’re portable and won’t spoil. Nuts are also loaded with healthy fats and protein to keep you full and satisfied for hours. Choose single-serve bags or little containers that can easily be opened one-handed, so you can eat them while driving. While nuts are healthy, be sure to choose a nuts brand that isn’t heavily salted or roasted in oil.

3. Popcorn

Popcorn is a tasty, light snack that can be made in the microwave with healthy ingredients. Just be sure you’re eating popcorn made without any butter or oil. You don’t want to ruin your car’s air conditioning by adding extra fats on top of what’s already inside it. Adding oil can also make popcorn stickier, making it harder to eat while driving. It is good to have a well-maintained new car to avoid additional expenses during unforeseen repairs and maintenance.

4. Whole Fruit

When you’re not in the mood for a heavy meal, whole fruit is a delicious way to satisfy your sweet tooth and get in some vitamins at the same time. Just wash and eat fresh fruit like an apple, orange, or pear as you drive along. Keep peeled oranges, tangerines, and bananas in small plastic containers, so they don’t get squished. You’ll have fun peeling them as you drive.

5. Protein Bars

Protein bars are one of the easiest snacks to find when you’re out of the house. They have a long shelf life, and they come with every topping imaginable. They’re also easy to take on the road, so you don’t have to stop at a gas station if you’re in a hurry. They have a satisfying crunch and keep you satisfied for a long time.

Snacking in your car can be a fun, stress-free experience that everyone can enjoy. It’s just another way to make the most of your ride. Buying a new car is exciting, and taking it out on the road will be even better.

8 Meal Ideas to Make the First Week in a New Home Easier

This is your new home, and all of your possessions are now with you. You’ve just moved into your new home, and it’s time to get started on your new life. But before you can start cooking up some delicious meals, you need to figure out what you want to eat. And that’s where meal ideas come in. Which foods fit into which categories? What might be the best way to start off? Check out this list of 8 easy meal ideas for the first week in a new home.

1. Start with Simple Frito Pie

First, go to your local grocer. Buy a bag of Fritos and some salsa. Are you ready? Now it’s time to heat up some tortilla chips in the oven. Take them out when they are warm and put them on a plate. Next, open the bag of Fritos and dump them into the tortilla chips. Add some salsa on top (that’s right, ‘taco’ or ‘Frito pie’ is not an actual word). This is your new dish: Frito Pie!

2. Easy Chicken Strips

You can use this dish to make chicken strips, which are a popular food in the United States. Take some chicken breasts and cut them in half lengthwise. Now you’ll need some breading. You can use flour, but what if you don’t have any? Use some plain breadcrumbs instead. Mix the breadcrumbs with some seasoned flour and make a mixture that is the consistency of thick pancake batter. Now dip each piece of chicken into this mixture and put it on a tray.

3. Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

This is another popular dish in the United States which you can easily make at home. All you need to do is buy spaghetti and meat sauce. The meat sauce can be different for each meal. But for this particular recipe, you’ll need ground beef, onions, and garlic. So go ahead and add these ingredients to a skillet. Cook the mixture until it is browned on top. Then you’ll need some pasta. Buy some spaghetti noodles, cook them according to the package instructions, and then drain the pasta in a colander while still warm.

4. Hotdogs and French Fries

This is another popular dish that you can easily make at home if you live in a small country town or city with only one restaurant (like me). Making this dish is very simple: buy hotdogs, fries, and some ketchup. Now you can put the hotdogs on a plate, put some fries on top of them, and then pour some ketchup over everything.

5. Meatballs

This dish is very simple to make at home: buy ground beef and combine it with breadcrumbs, eggs, salt, and pepper. Now you have your ingredients for meatballs – just shape them into balls and fry them in a skillet until they are browned on top. Once they are done cooking, take them out of the skillet and put them on a plate with some marinara sauce.

6. Potato and Onion Soup

This is my favorite soup to make at home. All you need to do is get some potatoes, onions, and some milk. So go ahead and chop the potatoes into small pieces and put them in a pot with the milk. Then you can cook them until they are soft. Once they are done cooking, please put them in a blender and blend them until smooth like a creamy soup. You can add salt and pepper to taste as well!

7. Fish Tacos

These tacos are very easy to make at home: buy some fish (like cod), some tortillas, salsa, and cilantro leaves (or any other kind of leafy green). So go ahead and put some fish in between the tortillas. Now you can top the tacos with salsa and cilantro leaves.

8. Chicken and Rice

You can easily make this simple dish at home: buy chicken, rice, and some salsa. So go ahead and cook the chicken in a pot with some water until it is no longer pink in color. Once the chicken is cooked, take it out of the pot, drain it on a plate, and put it in a bowl with rice and salsa. You can add salt to the taste as well!

You can easily make delicious, healthy, and cheap meals at home. You can easily make them all, and they will taste great! I hope that this article helped you on how to cook with the ingredients that are available in your kitchen. Enjoy!

3 Food Ideas Perfect to Help Recover After Having a Baby

Eating well and staying healthy isn’t just important during pregnancy. New mothers who have just had a baby should concentrate on nourishing themselves. A proper postpartum diet can help with the recovery from childbirth. But being a new mother can be overwhelming, and many new parents don’t have the time to properly research or plan for a nutritious postpartum diet. Here are a few ideas to help parents of newborns with a proper meal plan that can help with recovery after having a baby.

1- Lean Protein

Lean protein is one of the most important nutrients new moms can add to their diet. Protein is essential in the recovery process, especially to help with the growth and repair of cells. Lean cuts of meat like chicken, turkey, lean beef, and fish are all excellent choices. Fish, especially salmon, also contains DHA, which is found in breast milk and helps with the development of the baby’s nervous system. Other good sources of protein include eggs, Greek yogurt, nuts, and tofu. Nuts especially are an excellent addition to a new mother’s diet since they’re so nutrient-dense and contain healthy fats and protein. Eggs are easy to prepare, long-lasting, and can be prepared in a variety of different ways, from hard-boiled to scrambled.

2- Fruits and Vegetables

Everyone probably remembers hearing their own mother tell them to eat their vegetables during dinner time. As a new mom, it’s more important than ever to heed this advice. Getting multiple servings of fruits and vegetables can help mothers get enough vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which are all especially important when breastfeeding. But keeping fresh produce may be difficult while caring for a newborn, so new parents may opt to shop in the frozen or canned section. Frozen fruits and veggies are especially good for making smoothies. Canned produce like tomatoes and beans is easy to add to meals for a nutritional boost. For fresh produce, choose vegetables like sweet potatoes and carrots or fruits like apples and citrus that have a long shelf life.

3- Whole Grains

Carbs are especially important to new mothers to help them get enough calories during recovery and for breastfeeding. Complex carbs are the best choices here. Oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, whole-grain bread, and cereal are all good choices for a new mom to add to her diet. Complex carbs like these are rich in fiber and protein. Choosing options like instant oatmeal and pre-sliced whole wheat bread that can be kept in the freezer until it’s needed will make adding whole grains to a new mom’s diet a little easier.

As an added bonus, families with new babies can stock their freezer with nutritious, homemade meals before the baby is born. Options like chili, casseroles, meatballs, soups, and stews all freeze well and provide an assortment of nutrition for a new mom. Having a few meals like this stocked will make the first days after the new baby comes home much more manageable.

4 Brainpower Foods Perfect Ideal for Scientists

The human brain is a complex, intricate organ. To maintain its health and function at its best, your brain needs specific nutrients as well as some time for rest between studying or processing information. The good news is that many foods are loaded with brain nutrients, making it easy to eat right and boosting your powers of reason and memory. Here are a few of the best brainpower foods.

1. Greens

Leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale, arugula, and romaine lettuce have high levels of iron and calcium, both of which you need to keep your brain working properly. They are also packed with folate, a nutrient necessary for the formation of healthy red blood cells your brain needs to maintain its energy supply. Greens also protect your brain cells from free-radical damage, providing you with a great source of antioxidants. This helps to prevent age-related loss of memory and mental function. Scientists can rely on these foods to keep their minds sharp and focused.

2. Fatty Fish

Fish is a staple of the brainpower food list, providing the omega-3 fatty acids essential for the proper functioning of your brain’s neural circuits and neurotransmitters. These fatty acids help keep those synapses in good condition, improving cognitive function and keeping your mind sharp. They also help your brain convert the fats you eat into energy, enabling you to concentrate better and stay alert longer. Tuna, salmon, herring, and other cold-water fish are all great choices, including cod liver oil and flaxseed oil.

3. Walnuts

Walnuts are high in a type of omega-3 fatty acids called alpha-linolenic acid. This is good for brain health as it helps reduce inflammation in your brain and boosts blood flow to the brain, which improves energy levels and can also help with thinking. Walnuts are also high in antioxidants, which protect your brain cells from damage and help to keep your brain functioning at its best. They are also linked with a reduction in the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, making them a wise choice for any brain foods list.

4. Berries

Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries are all rich in compounds that protect brain cells from damage. These compounds include astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant that is beneficial for all stages of aging but particularly beneficial for preserving memory as you age. Brain-healthy foods also contain anthocyanins, which protect your brain cells from free-radical damage. Scientist can improve their laboratory work and classroom performance by ensuring they get their daily intake of berries. In addition to eating berries as a snack, you can add them to cereal, yogurt, or oatmeal. These compounds lead to improved cardiovascular function as well as improved brain function.

Mental health is equally important, and scientists are no different from any other profession in needing to maintain good mental health. These foods for brainpower can help you make sure you have a healthy brain and the best mental health possible. A healthy brain means you can concentrate and focus on the task at hand and enjoy better problem-solving skills.

6 Party Food Ideas to Include at a Military Theme Party

When you are putting on a military theme party, you want everything to go with the theme. You need to pick the right foods to go well with it and make the party fun. It doesn’t hurt to think beyond the food and give challenge coins as party favors or have everyone dress in military outfits or camouflage.

1. Serve Cookies Decorated For The Occasion

Sugar cookies are a great option for any themed party because you can decorate them in endless ways. Do the cookies yourself and make simple military hats or something like that, or have a bakery make more elevated cookies for you. No matter how they are decorated, if they fit with the theme, then everyone will love them.

2. Create Some MREs For The Party

MREs, or Meals Ready to Eat, are a part of the military. Those serving take these meals when they are on the go because everything is convenient and ready for them to consume. You can put a fun spin on this and have plates prepared with a tag labeling them as an “MRE.”

3. Put Together A Camo Veggie Tray

Many veggies are the perfect color to create a camo tray, and you can put them together in a fun way to go with the theme. Cut up broccoli, celery, and a variety of other green veggies to go on the tray. Throw in some pretzels and use a green dip to go with them so that everything will fit together nicely.

4. Make A Camo Popcorn Mix

Camo is a great way to bring the military theme to the table, and you can use it on all kinds of foods, including popcorn. You can use colored chocolate over plain popcorn and mix it up with some caramel corn. Add in some colored candies and peanuts and it will be a great camo popcorn mix.

5. Serve Foods With Fun Names

If you want to keep the theme going even for foods that don’t look special, then you can come up with some fun names for those foods. Think of various military terms and items and label all the foods with those names. It will make the food table more fun and keep the theme going even with your main dishes and random snack foods.

6. Have A Military-Themed Cake Made

A beautiful military-themed cake will bring everything together at the party. You can display it on the food table for everyone to see as they are getting their plates. You can have an elaborate cake made to fit your theme, or you can even just have some camo cupcakes or something simpler like them made so that they will look great and be there for everyone to eat at the end of the meal.

Your party will go well when you consider all the foods you can serve at it. With the right food options, it will have a great military theme and everyone will enjoy what they can eat. Choose some of these ideas for your military theme party for a fun time.

6 Brain Foods to Help Keep Up a Lawyer’s Stamina in Court

When you are in legal court, you want your brain to be functioning well. You want to feel alert, and you want to stay that way for as long as you are there. You need to start eating some foods that are good for the brain so that you can feel and be your best.

1. Eggs Are A Good Brain Food

Eggs are a great food for the brain. They have been shown to improve memory skills. It is smart to eat them all the time so that you can have better brain function and be at your best when you are in court or preparing for it.

2. Berries Are Good For The Mind

When you eat enough berries, you will improve the blood flow to your brain. Berries contain all kinds of health properties and can reduce inflammation and protect your brain’s health. Studies have been done that prove berries can help you focus better on the tasks you are doing and also help you remember some things better for years to come.

3. Fatty Fish Can Help Your Memory

Over half of your brain is made up of fat, and fatty fish can be good for the brain because of that. Fatty fish contains a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, which are healthy for the body and brain. When you eat enough fish, you may have an easier time learning things as well as improved memory.

4. Walnuts Are Another Great Option

Walnuts contain some of the same omega-3 fatty acids as fish and are good for the brain. Consumption of nuts has been proven in a study to help people score higher in tests than those who did not eat them. Walnuts are a good food to snack on anytime, and if you start eating them regularly, then you may have better focus and stamina in court.

5. Coffee Is A Must Before Court

When you want to wake up your brain, you might think about caffeine. Coffee is a great way to start the day and a great thing to consume before you need to go to court because it makes you more alert. It has been proven to increase concentration in those who drink it, and the antioxidants that it contains are good for you.

6. Citrus Fruits Are A Good Choice For The Brain

Those who eat enough citrus fruit have better memory and better learning skills. Citrus fruits act to protect the brain, as well, and if you eat enough of them, then you will be less likely to become forgetful even as you age. It is good to consume citrus fruits regularly and especially right before you go to court and need your brain to be functioning at its best.

Eat the foods that are good for the brain and you will feel better than ever. You will be prepared for each court appearance, and you will feel good and alert while there. The right foods can improve the brain in the moments you need to be your best and also make it healthier for the future.

4 Tips For Healthy Eating For Seniors

Making healthy dietary choices can make a positive impact on your life regardless of your age. However, as you get older, it’s more important than ever that you nourish your body with plenty of healthy meals. For one, your metabolism starts to get more sluggish as you age, and as such, you may hang on to calories more than you did in your younger years.

The foods you eat can also have an enormous impact on your brain health. So, the more you can feed your brain full of plenty of healthful choices, the more your body will thank you for it. Here are some of the best tips for senior citizens when it comes to making healthy food choices.

Plan Ahead

One of the most common reasons for making less than healthy choices in the kitchen is being in a rush. However, if you do just a little bit of planning, and think ahead when it comes to what you’re eating, then you can avoid eating unhealthy choices out of pure convenience. Before you go shopping, try to create a menu. If you have a menu in mind, then you have more foresight and intention with your food choices. If you’re really feeling motivated, you could batch prepare your meals. Many people find great success cooking everything they plan on eating for the week on a Sunday, and either storing it in the fridge or freezer to be consumed later.

Drink Plenty of Water

One of the most practical and straightforward ways to stay healthy is to drink plenty of water. When you drink water, you keep your body hydrated, which is particularly important during the warmer months of the year. Water also helps you to regulate your appetite. In many cases, we’re convinced that we’re hungry, when in fact our bodies are actually telling us we need hydration. Try to keep a glass of water near to you throughout the day, and sip as needed.

Eat a Variety of Vegetables and Meats

While it’s ok to eat some carbohydrates in your diet, the main focus of a healthy diet should be a wide variety of meats and vegetables. Rather than eating one type of vegetable every day, or one type of meat every day, a varied diet is the best way to go.

Go Easy on Salt

Believe it or not, even though you think your food needs to be salted, chances are it doesn’t. As we get older, our sensitivity to salt increases. Unfortunately, at the same time, our ability to taste salt also decreases. The problem with too much salt is that it can increase your blood pressure, which in turn can lead to serious issues like heart disease. Keep your sodium levels down as much as possible, and if you feel like your food lacks flavor, don’t automatically assume that it needs salt. There is a whole world of spices out there that don’t have sodium!

5 Can’t-Miss Restaurants in Silver Lake, Los Angeles

Did you know Silver Lake was home to one of the first U.S. gay rights protests? It was also home to many popular figures like Judy Garland and Maria Rasputin.

Many facts make Silver Lake an interesting neighborhood to visit. If you’re planning a trip to Silver Lake, Los Angeles, you might want to have a list of great restaurants to check out.

This guide will discuss all the places you can’t miss. Keep reading to learn what they are.

1. El Cochinito

First on the list of Silver Lake restaurants is El Cochinito. This family-run establishment has some of the best Cuban sandwiches you’ll ever taste. It even won first place in the 2018 Cuban Sandwich Festival.

It also serves other traditional Cuban dishes. You should try the pollo empanizado, which is a pan-fried breaded chicken breast. Ropa vieja is another great dish to try at El Cochinito.

2. Pine & Crane

You’ll find more great Los Angeles food at Silver Lake’s Pine & Crane. You can eat your meal inside this cozy Taiwanese eatery or at the picnic tables outside.

The menu is varied, with plenty of options of vegetables, noodles, and rice. The mapo tofu is a dish made with ground pork and tofu.

The beef noodle soup is another hearty option you’ll love. It’s made with udon noodles, bok choy, and mustard greens.

3. Bacari Silver Lake

Other Los Angeles restaurants to check out include the Bacari Silver Lake. This restaurant provides the perfect atmosphere for a night out. Centered around luscious greenery and string lights, you’ll enjoy a magical dinner.

The tapas-style meals mean you’ll always want to order a few options to share. Some popular dishes you should try include Asian pear, brie pizza, and green falafel.

You’ll also find some unique cocktails at this restaurant. The Mad Mango Sour or La Brea Rose are two you should try yourself.

4. Boos

Boos is one of the best restaurants you’ll find in Silver Lake. This family-run business has the best Philly cheesesteaks and hoagies in all of Los Angeles.

The classic cheesesteak is made with thinly sliced steak, grilled onions, cheese, and an amoroso roll. You should also try the sweet pepper cheesesteak.

You might also want to try the Italian hoagie made with salami, pepperoni, and hoagie dressing. You can order food online if you’re craving good Philly cheesesteaks while you’re in LA.

5. All Day Baby

All Day Baby is the Silver Lake dining option for American comfort food. This restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, serving up some of your favorite classic dishes.

Try one of their signature breakfast burritos in the morning. If you’re not too full, you can have a catfish sandwich for lunch or an N.Y. strip steak for diner.

Check Out These Restaurants in Silver Lake, Los Angeles

There are many great restaurants to check out during your trip to Silver Lake, Los Angeles. If you’re in the mood for Cuban food, El Cochinito serves up some classic dishes. Boos is the place to go for delicious Philly Cheesesteaks and hoagies.

Check out some of our other food blogs for more great restaurant suggestions.

The Benefits of Hiring a Food Service Provider for a Corporate Cafeteria

A corporate cafeteria is a location where employees of a firm can eat lunch without leaving their office. The firm, the employee, or a combination of the two may cover the cost of each meal. Corporate cafeterias can also cater to many enterprises in a single facility. Corporate cafeteria management firms are in charge of all aspects of the company’s cafeteria. They place orders for food, create menus, prepare food daily, and clean up. If it does not have a cafeteria yet, they might assist with setting one up.

The following are some of the main advantages of hiring a food service company that provides catering services to run a corporate cafeteria.

Ordering Food

National food distributors have ties with cafeteria food service companies. They may also negotiate discounts on most of the food they order because they order for facilities all around the country.

This is beneficial to both them and the company because it saves money. The better the bargain on food for the management businesses, the less they have to mark it up to earn a profit. Companies specializing in foodservice management use their expertise to help save money.

Planning Menus

Cafeteria food service providers develop menus for each cafeteria based on the ingredients they can order. These specialists employ specific planning techniques to ensure that only what is needed is ordered for menu planning, taking into account staff demographics, budget, and cuisine type to develop a menu that maximizes profit.

The firm will save time and money by designing and implementing cafeteria-related services. Catering companies take on some of the burdens, allowing them to focus more time and resources on other aspects of their core business. Menus incorporate cafeterias can be pretty diverse, both in food types and diversity. On the other hand, Variety is frequently one of the drawbacks of corporate dining establishments.

Chefs acquire the same ingredients regularly because of the national savings. As a result, they’ll repeat the same dishes every three or four weeks. Even if the cuisine is excellent, employees grow tired of eating the same thing regularly.

Preparing Food

Every day, the chef in charge of the cafeteria will supervise the food preparation. This will almost always be a lunch, but they may also serve breakfast, coffee, or snacks, depending on the contract.

One of the important reasons why cafeteria food service providers are so beneficial is because they prepare all food. Every day that employees visit the cafeteria, they receive freshly prepared meals.

Contractfoodservice focuses solely on food, and they go to great lengths to acquire nutritional items and serve nutritious meals to all of their customers. When a company chooses a contract food provider for the corporate cafeteria, it can be confident that its employees will have access to healthy and affordable options.

Because contract food services work hard to offer nutritional meal alternatives, employees can expect a healthy lunch in the corporate cafeteria. Employee health and wellness improve due to healthy eating, which benefits the company. Employees who eat more healthily have better overall health and fewer medical issues, resulting in fewer insurance claims and sick days.

Serving Food

Cafeteria personnel serves the company’s employees once it has been cooked. This can occur in a variety of ways. Some of these firms are switching to a self-checkout strategy to save money.

Others may provide easy-to-grab packed lunches that may be taken to a meeting or returned to an employee’s desk.

This saves time because the cafeteria food service provider hires competent and specialized staff who do best. This saves a lot of time for the company’s employees, giving them more time to enjoy their meals and mingle while relaxing over a meal.

Cleanup

After the lunch rush has passed, cafeteria workers wipe up the dishes and put the remaining food away. This is a component of cafeteria food service providers that are often overlooked.

Cleaning up is difficult, especially during the formal working hours of a typical company. As a result, these cafeteria food service providers provide special, frequently neglected services yet essential.

The time and resources that would have been spent on such duties are transferred to more profitable tasks that help a company achieve its objectives.

Fosters a sense of community

Foodservice providers’ cafeterias are the heart of any office with one, much as the kitchen is the heart of a home.

They bring employees together in a central location and encourage teamwork by connecting and discussing ideas outside a cubicle’s limits.

They inspire creativity and focus.

Cafeteria food service providers can also help people focus and be more creative. For example, every great idea begins with a fantastic cup of coffee, and the relaxed setting of a coffee with colleagues can be the start of many great projects.

Coffee stimulates the creative process and is consumed by many people daily. Such vital yet unrecognized services drive a company’s average employee’s productivity and innovation.

Providing staff with a neutral meeting area away from their usual work setting can help increase collective focus and serve as a springboard for brilliant ideas.

A well-fed team functions better.

It has been scientifically shown that being hungry impairs one’s ability to make decisions. As a result, ensuring that the workforce is adequately fed is critical to maximizing employee productivity and enjoyment.

Well-fed employees have more energy and are more willing to work longer hours. They’re also less likely to miss work due to illness, which could help a company bargain for better health insurance coverage.

Employees who are malnourished are less productive, which is why it’s critical to provide appropriate food options to meet their nutritional demands.

Improves the Company Culture

A cafeteria food service provider may have a significant impact on the company’s culture. This is especially true if an organization is enormous and includes a variety of departments, all of which are located on different floors or in clusters.

A cafeteria will bring them all together, albeit at various times. Employees from all departments would always sit down for lunch to share ideas and strengthen working connections.

People who typically exclusively engage professionally are suddenly urged to get to know one another personally. Having a cafeteria will be considered something exceptional the company is doing for its employees, regardless of how many employees benefits it offers or whether it offers any.

The current employees will appreciate that the company went out of its way to make their lives easier by providing food on the premises. They will feel as though the company is thanking them for hard work, and, in turn, they will feel thankful.

Attracts Talent and Promotes Loyalty

Having a cafeteria food service provider on-site could decide a talented potential hire to sign a contract.

The company may have spent months headhunting them and attempting to persuade them to take the position since it knows they would be a fantastic addition, but they may require one more benefit. And it’s possible that seeing the cafeteria helps them make their final decision a little simpler.

They’ll perceive it as a sign that it values its personnel.

Increases productivity

When employees go out to lunch, they are unlikely to be accompanied by co-workers who want to talk about work.

When they leave the building, work is probably the last thing on their minds. However, if they’re in the cafeteria, they might run into someone they’ve been meaning to speak with about a project. Or they might come up with a brilliant new idea while having lunch with someone from another department with whom they would not normally interact.

This is how a cafeteria food service provider may affect the company’s overall productivity. Furthermore, having food available in the office eliminates the need to leave the building if they are hungry, thirsty, or want a snack. They’ll spend more time in the office thinking about work and doing their job if they spend more time there.

How Food and Beverage Companies Use Technology to Keep You Safe

The food and beverage industry represents one of the most important sectors of the economy. Companies in this field are well aware of their need to turn a profit, while maintaining their important social and legal responsibility to keep consumers safe and protect public health.

Many people might not realize that getting food to consumers safely and responsibly is a huge logistical challenge. Food and beverage companies use a variety of sophisticated technologies to meet that challenge. Supply chain failure in this industry could have catastrophic societal consequences.

Let’s take a look at how food and beverage companies use technology to keep their customers safe and comply with consumer protection regulations.

Understanding the Cold Chain

To understand the technologies the food and beverage industry uses to keep consumers safe, one needs to know a few points about what is known in the industry as the cold chain. Simply put, the cold chain is a temperature-controlled supply chain that ensures products are kept at sufficiently low temperatures throughout their journey to consumers to maintain safe conditions.

In order to meet storage standards, food products must be kept in climate-controlled storage facilities from initial preparation to the end point. Not only must storage facilities be up to the task of refrigerating products, but temperature-monitoring procedures must also be established and maintained to record temperature data and alert company management if temperatures fluctuate outside of the safe range.

Data Loggers for Food Safety

Data loggers play a key role in ambient temperature monitoring for cold chains. Data loggers are electronic devices that measure and record multiple kinds of environmental data, including temperature. Because data loggers take temperature readings at regular time intervals, they are a crucial part of quality assurance protocols for food and beverage companies.

Data loggers can promptly alert company management to technical problems in refrigerated storage facilities. Some data loggers can even be programmed to determine if the door to a storage facility is left open.

By collecting and recording temperature data, data loggers play a vital role in preventing foodborne illness outbreaks and public health crises. In the case of a foodborne illness outbreak, traceability is extremely important. Data loggers can help trace which storage facility was faulty.

Data loggers can be used alongside the equipment employed by commercial enterprises to ensure food safety and freshness.

Without data loggers, regulators would have an extremely difficult time determining the source of an outbreak in order to contain it. After regulators and company management determine which storage facility is to blame for an outbreak, other products that have passed through that facility can also be recalled, preventing a large-scale public health crisis.

Even if temperature isn’t responsible for a foodborne illness outbreak, and bacteria such as salmonella or E. coli is the culprit, traceability is vitally important to locate the source of the outbreak and recall products.

It is, therefore, no surprise that regulators actually require food and beverage companies to collect, record, and report temperature and supply chain data. Data loggers are thus not only necessary to keep consumers safe, but also to ensure and prove business compliance with local and federal regulations. Some of these regulations even specify which kinds of data loggers can be used to record and report temperature data.

Data Analysis Softwares

Often, when food and beverage companies report temperature data to regulators, the data must be presented in a specific format. To automate the process of formatting these large amounts of data, food and beverage companies make use of data analysis software.

Typically, the data that data loggers record is stored on the logger’s internal memory. Many data loggers can be connected to computers so the information collected can be transmitted to the computer system, stored and analyzed by data analysis software.

Aside from formatting data, many of these computer programs possess sophisticated analytical and computational tools. These can be used to detect patterns in data and draw conclusions from large datasets making them ideal for use not only in food and beverage related industries but also many others, to develop valuable business intelligence insights.

Data Loggers to Track Power Usage

Data loggers that track power usage, for example, can give food and beverage companies insights into the most energy-intensive parts of their supply chain. Management can then devise solutions to make these facilities more energy-efficient, saving money for the business and potentially producing environmental benefits.

Many regulators offer incentives to companies that curb energy usage and are more environmentally friendly. These companies can use data loggers to gain insights into how they can reduce their carbon footprint and pollution. That, too, is an important part of keeping consumers safe.

Surprisingly, some chefs and restaurants use data loggers to monitor temperatures and data usage of outdoor cooking appliances.

Helping Frontline Supply Chain Workers

Before the dawn of the information age, where digital transformation has overtaken every major industry, workers used analog tools (e.g., thermometers) to measure and record temperature data. This was also true in the healthcare industry, in which healthcare workers used thermometers to keep sensitive medical products in sufficiently low temperatures.

Thanks to the digital and computing revolution, however, companies began using electronic devices like data loggers to record temperature data. This represented a major innovation and allowed companies to automate their ambient temperature monitoring procedures. Not only that, but data loggers also made data more accurate, reliable, and transparent.

This increased accuracy and transparency of data is more important now than ever since frontline supply chain workers have been put under a great deal of pressure during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Fulfilling their duties to safely get food to consumers throughout the pandemic has been challenging, and empowering these workers with the tools they need to manage supply chains responsibly is essential.

Data loggers are invaluable tools for supply chain workers because they automate the process of gathering and recording the temperature of food storage facilities. It is not hyperbolic to say that the entire supply chain system might have ground to a halt during the pandemic if it wasn’t for data loggers and other technologies. This is especially true considering that the USDA food safety net was largely credited with preventing massive food shortages during the pandemic.

In conclusion, it’s easy for consumers to overlook the many technologies that go into getting well-preserved, fresh food into their refrigerators. Data loggers play a crucial role in food safety procedures and will likely continue to be adopted on an even greater scale by global food supply chains.