Just do it! Healthy living at work
A healthy mind in a healthy body — who wouldn’t want that? A healthy lifestyle helps you better handle daily challenges: you feel more energetic, fitter, and more resilient. The Agency for Facility Operations supports Flemish government employees in achieving this.
Healthy eating at work
Did you know that a lot of effort goes into offering a healthy, varied, and balanced meal choice every day in our restaurants? We also strive for healthy options in our coffee and sandwich bars.
Key actions at a glance:
Every week, a healthy carbohydrate option is on the menu, such as whole wheat pasta, quinoa, freekeh, bulgur… We ensure enough variety between potatoes, rice, and pasta.
Soups rarely contain cream; when they do, it’s clearly indicated and only light cream with a maximum of 15% fat is used.
For main dishes, we vary cooking methods (baking, stewing, steaming, etc.) and types of protein (beef, pork, poultry, etc.). Fried or breaded dishes are limited to once a week per category (meat/fish/vegetarian).
A vegetarian alternative is always offered. We participate in the Green Deal “Protein Shift on Our Plate.” We are expanding our vegan offerings and highlighting vegetarian options in our communications.
A wide variety of vegetables is available.
Our salad bar aims to offer salads as natural as possible. You can dress your salad with sauces and vinaigrettes found in the herb corner of the restaurant. The salad bar is always 100% vegetarian, contains at least one healthy starch component, and a minimum of 50% unprocessed vegetables.
For hot vegetables, we alternate between classic preparations, olive oil-based dishes, and steamed vegetables. The vegetables on the menu are always seasonal according to the winter-summer calendar (just like the cold vegetables). Extra vegetables can always be requested or substituted for a carbohydrate. In the self-service areas of all restaurants, customers can choose their own portions of vegetables and starches.
In our sandwich selection, the standard options always include a healthy suggestion and a vegan topping. Seasonal offerings always consist of one-third vegetarian options. For catering at events and meetings, you can opt for a 100% vegetarian sandwich lunch. Bread choices always include a healthy multigrain variety.
For breakfast, we provide healthy alternatives such as granola with fruit/yogurt, fruit salad, and oatmeal cups. Some coffee bars also offer homemade fruit juices, infused waters, or lemonades.
Free water is available at water chillers throughout the building. Paid water options are also cheaper than sugary drinks. We have also added some new low-calorie beverages to the assortment. Milk-based drinks in the coffee bars are always made with semi-skimmed milk, and lactose-free soy milk is available as an alternative.
To offer healthy desserts, fresh fruit is always an option. We have also lowered the price of fruit compared to other desserts.
The Agency for Facility Operations offers fruit baskets: departments can choose to have fruit delivered to the workplace so employees have access to free, healthy snacks.
Sports options
Sports activities are offered in 9 buildings of the Flemish government. The available options vary by location. We also have fitness facilities in the Conscience, Belpaire, and Herman Teirlinck buildings, as well as in VAC Brugge and in VAC Mechelen.