One of the most lasting and effective ways to make sure healthy foods will consistently be available at your congregation (also at your work place, school, day care center, assisted living center, or even at home) is to put policies or guidelines in place as a formal commitment and reminder to buy, prepare, and serve foods that promote wellness. Long after the policy is on the books, future congregational staff and members will be able to look back at the written policy and continue your community's wellness efforts. You can also sign and display a Congregational Wellness Pledge.

At your congregation or other institution, your policies (or guidelines if you feel more comfortable with that term) can include: "We will offer at least two healthy choices (such as fresh produce, whole grains or lean proteins) at every gathering," "We will offer water and unsweetened tea at all gatherings and programs and no soda pop," or We will purchase food from a local farmer and make the fresh produce a centerpiece of our meals together or of our community meals for neighbors in need."

At home, your family can talk about (and maybe put your thoughts in writing) keeping mostly nutritious foods on hand and preparing them in healthy ways. Your household's "food policy" can include things like: "We will buy or make only two desserts each week, and drink water at every meal instead of soda pop or other sugary beverages" or "We will build our meals and snacks around fruits and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat proteins, and use less healthy items as small side dishes or dips."  

Another strategy that works well is changing your indoor and outdoor spaces and practices for serving food so that healthy options become more available or replace less healthy selections. For example, you could create a garden on your property to boost everyone's vegetable consumption. You don't necessarily need a lot of space – just one square foot can produce good results, nor a lot of unpaved ground – since you can use a wooden box (raised bed) or other container filled with soil that you bring in, or you can remove some pavement. For information on testing your soil to make sure it is free of contaminants, try Groundwork USA. Check Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon's guide to starting a community garden at your house of worship for some planning tips, and a list of resources for bringing your vision to life. The American Community Garden Association website has a wealth of information too. Other building changes, like adding extra equipment to your kitchen, can help too.

The way you present food also greatly impacts what people choose. For example, consider where you place desserts (behind or lower than healthier options is best) and cut them into small pieces, put on individual plates. Prompt (remind) people about more nutritious offerings by using an attractive label to mark these selections or by putting them on a raised tray. If you are selling food at an event, price healthy items lower than less nutritious offerings. For more ideas like these, check Cornell University's "Smarter Lunchrooms" tips. For some interesting facts about what causes us to overeat, see the Tao of Good Health blog from September 30, 2007 and Time Magazines photo essay on the same subject. Factors like being presented with a lot of variety and color in food choices and being in a room that is cool, encourage us to eat more. We can use this information to encourage healthy choices, like offering a colorful assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables on our tables and making sure our fellowship halls and cafeterias are warm enough so people will be less likely to continue eating after they are full.

Finally, make healthy food an inseparable part of your congregation's traditions with these ideas for healthy celebrations and healthy fundraisers. Both booklets were designed for schools, but the ideas would work well in most settings, including at your congregation. Get creative! Events and gatherings can be an opportunity to promote health by modeling good choices, such as selling fruit instead of having a bake sale, hosting a fundraising dinner that is nutritious, or breaking your fast with fresh, health-enhancing foods.

Click here for sample written guidelines and policies you can use as a start for your faith community.

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