Beyond the Rink Burger: Healthy Food Options in Rec Facilities

Who doesn’t enjoy the occasional rink burger? We are probably all guilty of indulging in one of these over our lifetime.

There is a lot of hype around who has the best rink burger in Saskatchewan but it seems ironic that our recreation facilities are such proud supporters of this mission as these are also the places and spaces that support healthy, active living in your community.

These facilities are where people gather and spend a lot of their time, so offering nutritious food options only makes sense. And while you might not be ready to take that burger off your menu, here are simple ways you can encourage healthier food choices in your recreation facility:

  • Make the healthy items more visible than the less healthy options
  • Adapt prices to ensure healthy foods are cheaper or at minimum equivalent pricing to unhealthy options
  • Provide healthy items, such as a whole wheat bun or side salad, as the default choice and require the customer to make a special request for the less healthy choice

 

 *Information adapted from the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Opportunities for Recreation Facility Nutrition Policies in Saskatchewan