Food service venue operators are the lifeblood of the military nutrition environment. They’re a key part of any successful action plan—both in the creation and implementation of MNE improvements. Keep the line of communication strong with food service operators as you work together to improve your local nutrition landscape.
- Have a conversation. Introduce yourself, state your purpose, and discuss how the MNE improvement process works and what the mNEAT assesses. Share a bit about your background and explain what you hope to gain from an assessment. Be sure to also ask about their current position, background, and any nutrition priorities they have for their venue.
- Review mNEAT scores. After you complete the assessment, meet with food service venue operators to explain their mNEAT scores. Let them know what the scores mean, identify what they’re doing well, and try to determine their interest in improving any low-scoring areas.
- Leverage existing relationship. Are you familiar with the dining facility manager because they used your services as a registered dietitian? Do you regularly chat with the Express manager when you go to pick up a snack? If you know a food service operator already, that’s a great place to start.
- Make their priorities your priorities. Ask the food service manager if they or their leadership have nutrition- or health-related priorities or goals. Food service operators might have corporate or workplace policies and initiatives that align with your team’s desire to improve the nutrition environment. Capitalizing on something already in place is easier than starting something new. In addition, if the priority or policy is coming from their leadership, it’s more likely the action will be supported and sustained.
- Collaborate on ideas. If you have a concept for an action plan, discuss it with the food service venue’s manager. Also, listen to their thoughts and goals since they’ll likely know what is doable and can help gain support.
Have you successfully worked with food service operators to implement an action plan? Let us know your best practices at mNEAT@usuhs.edu.