Whitepaper: Enhancing Meetings Through Food

Food for thought" is more than just a figure of speech. It's also a scientific principle that can help meeting planners improve their meetings and events, according to The National Conference Center in Leesburg, Va., which yesterday released a new meetings industry whitepaper on the topic of food psychology.Titled "The Science of Food for Thought: Enhancing Meetings Through Food," the whitepaper is the first in a quarterly series of whitepapers from The National Conference Center. Showcasing research from Executive Chef Craig Mason, as well as Andrea Sullivan of BrainStrength Systems which specializes in education for "brain friendly" meetings  it presents tips for meeting planners on how to improve meeting productivity with food."Meeting planners everywhere are always looking for the answer to this question: How can I help my attendees gain and retain the most from their meeting experience?" reads the whitepaper. "One might answer that question by looking into conditional factors that may influence an attendee leading up to a meeting as well as during. Aside from sleep and stress levels, meals play a large role. The center of all brain focus at meetings comes down to: What are my attendees consuming and what is the timing of those meals?"Based on neuroscience research by Sullivan, and experiments conducted by Mason  who examined different food choices during lunch programs and breaks  The National Conference Center recommends: Reducing the quantity of red meat  which slows attendees down and makes them drowsy for the second half of the day  and replacing it with lighter options such as fish and chicken, which require less energy to digest.Sourcing in-season ingredients from within 150 miles of the meeting venue, as foods with the most nutritional value are always local.Serving vegetables cooked at higher temperatures for shorter periods, which maximizes nutritional content.Replenishing break stations with healthy snacks throughout the day so attendees can replenish their energy as needed. Instead of chips, cookies, candies and pastries, which result in a sugar rush and subsequent crash serve fresh fruits, nuts, yogurt and energy bars.Serving breakfasts that consist of a complex carbohydrate and a protein  for instance, a whole-grain bagel and a hard-boiled egg  in order to maximize attendee alertness.Putting spinach on the menu because it's high iron and folate, which are beneficial for thinking, learning and memory. Serving whole grains or pasta that produce tryptophan, which relaxes the brain and creates a sense of well-being, as well as items such as yogurt, bananas, beans, rice, peanuts and dark chocolate, all of which have been shown to improve cognitive functioning. Other good menu choices include water, granola, blueberries, mangos, broccoli and peanut butter.In conclusion, Mason and Sullivan say to: avoid sugar highs, keep things light and buy local.We often struggle with our body and mind, yet this science gives us insight and an understanding to apply to our daily lives," Sullivan says. "We learn to use our brain and be in charge of ourselves and become the person we want to be."To read "The Science of Food for Thought" in its entirety, download a complimentary copy at