Congratulations to the caterers that have pledged to serve healthy foods and beverages at events sponsored by Vidant Health. The hospital system and all of its food-service operators have been working to ensure that healthy and delicious foods and beverages are available to all employees and visitors in its cafeterias, coffee shops and vending. And now, healthy foods will also be served at meetings, training programs and celebrations.

Last fall, a letter was sent inviting all businesses that catered an event at any of the hospitals to join this effort. They also got a vendor tool kit and schedule of free webinars to help them meet the policy. Those caterers who sign a pledge to provide calorie-per-serving information for all foods served and provide a menu that has at least 60 percent of all items meeting a healthy calorie definition are on a “preferred” vendor list. And yes, healthy and tasty desserts are allowed.

The companies that have met the challenge so far are all of the catering operations at Vidant hospitals, and from the community (in alphabetical order): Bread Lady, Brueggers Bagels, Hilton Greenville, Jersey Mike’s Subs of Greenville, Jimmy John’s of Greenville, Main Street Inn of Tarboro, Montero’s of Elizabeth City, Pita Pit of Greenville, Rep Express, Rock Springs Center/The Jockey Club, Scarborough Fare of Snow Hill and Subway of Greenville. Hopefully others will join. Please support these businesses that are making a commitment to make the healthy choice the easy choice.

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