Go for Green® SNACKOs: Improving food environments one bite at a time!

By: Deb Robinson, COL, USAF, BSC*

Walk by any breakroom or visit a work center and what will you find? You guessed it—donuts, chips, candy, sugary drinks, and other highly processed items that are quick to grab and readily accessible. But what if we stocked our workplace with healthier choices that not only taste good, but provide longer-lasting energy than the “quick fix” of junk food? Snack bar “makeovers” might be just what Military Service Members are looking for and need to support healthy choices. Your workplace can be an ideal place to refuel to optimize performance.

At Luke Air Force Base (AFB) in Arizona, we took on this challenge. With support from the Installation Commander, we initiated a pilot project called “Go for Green® SNACKOs.” Training fighter pilots and maintainers is the primary mission of Luke AFB. Airmen spend a lot of time at work, and whether it’s day or night missions, they need easy access to foods and drinks to stay fueled and satisfied.

The project is modeled after DoD’s Go for Green® 2.0 (G4G) program, which uses a stoplight system to label the nutrition content of foods and drinks. Green-coded items have the most nutrients and are least processed, Yellow-coded ones contain some essential nutrients but may have added sugar or poor-quality fats, and Red-coded choices provide minimal nutrients and tend to be more processed. The color-coding system helps Military Service Members easily identify foods and drinks that boost performance.

First, we completed DoD’s Military Nutrition Assessment Tool (mNEAT) to determine how to improve Luke’s food environment. The results showed the worksite was a key target area to improve. As the Health Promotion dietitian, I then developed an action plan with support from the installation Community Action Team and in collaboration with the Consortium for Health and Military Performance (CHAMP). In order to get support and commitment, unit leadership signed a letter of collaboration defining the program responsibilities.

Working with CHAMP, our team coded existing snack bar items according to the G4G criteria. Our goal was to increase the availability of Green-coded items to 30% over time. Color-coding items made them easy to identify. We provided the snack bars with items, including a 5-gallon beverage dispenser for infused water, 3-tier fruit bowl stand, and a countertop display refrigerator for Green-coded foods and drinks. In addition, we placed Green-coded options in more prominent locations—such as near the checkout—to encourage Airmen to purchase them. We hung framed posters and displayed color-coded shelf labels to get the word out about G4G too.

I worked with all five implementing units by coding new requested items and troubleshooting challenges throughout the six-month project. We held feedback sessions with the trained snack bar monitors to understand the facilitators and barriers faced during implementation and identify ways to sustain the program. Collected sales data also will help us determine how purchasing habits might change as a result of the program. Pre- and post-surveys were distributed to unit members to identify the impact on eating habits as well. All evaluation data is currently being analyzed.

You might wonder how we could do all this at our worksite. The good news is that you can start small and focus your efforts.

• Provide a drink dispenser and teach unit members to make infused water. This might encourage Military Service Members to reach for water that contains fresh or frozen fruit, vegetables, and herbs such as mint instead of sugary drinks.
• Find out what type of food products (fresh, frozen, or shelf-stable) Military Service Members want and suggest better choices.
• Work with your local commissary to serve more healthier, ready-to-heat meals at worksites.
• Add shelf-stable snacks such as small packages of nuts, seeds, unsweetened applesauce, whole-grain crackers, and more.
• Make it fun! Promote veggies on Meatless Monday or discount fruit on Fresh Fruit Friday.

It doesn’t matter how small the change. In fact, a staggered approach might be better received than trying to change everything at once. Just start—one bite at a time!

About the Author
Col Deb Robinson has over 30 years in the health promotion field and currently serves as the Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Director of CHAMP. In her civilian capacity, she works as a Health Promotion dietitian at Luke AFB AZ. Her focus is on nutrition policy and environmental strategies to optimize Airmen performance and readiness.

Disclosure: *The opinions and assertions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) or DoD. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. Mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. The author has no financial interests or relationships to disclose.