Food use and nutrient intake at worksite canteen or in packed lunches at work among Finnish employees

Abstract

Finnish employees have lunch at worksite canteens or have packed lunch, but the nutritional quality of neither is known. We investigated the food use and nutrient intake of Finnish employees who eat either at worksite canteens vis-à-vis those who eat packed lunches. Dietary data were collected by a 48-hour-dietary-recall in the FINDIET 2002 survey. Employed Finns aged 25–64 years were included (n = 261). Men ate more fresh vegetables and salad dressing at the canteen than in packed lunches. Women consumed more fresh vegetables, vegetable foods and fish dishes at canteens. Among men, energy, vitamin A and carotenoid intake from canteen lunches were higher than from packed lunches. Among women, the canteen users got more energy and fat, but fewer carbohydrates and less sugar and fibre. Even though the nutritional differences in the meals eaten at different places were modest, eating at the canteen improved the diets of employees by increasing their vegetable intake.