Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) is encouraging customers to choose vegetables for their Whole Health and offering more veggies in VCS cafés nationwide.
Customers can choose veggies in a multitude of ways. They can choose veggies as a side from the PatriotCafé, a snack from the PatriotStore, a salad from PatriotBrew or as a topping on anything at Creation Station—the newest meal concept making fresh-to-order sandwiches, salads and pizzas.
“The Choose Veggies campaign is part of VCS’s commitment to our Be Well – Live Whole Health initiative,” said Lu Ann Swehla, VCS chief Nutrition and Whole Health officer. “We will ‘nudge’ customers to eat more vegetables by making them easier to order and cheaper to purchase. We are invested in the Whole Health of our customers and we encourage them to choose more veggies.”
The “Choose Veggies” campaign is in support of VA’s Whole Health initiative, which focuses on every aspect of a Veteran’s health—body, mind, emotion, spirit—and emphasizes what is most important to the individual. Vegetables, with their many benefits to a diet, are the perfect choice to make healthy changes and improve Veterans’ quality of life.
“Our veggies make a significant difference in health and well-being.”
“The grill area is where we can make the most impact in our customer’s health,” said dietitian Kristen Schwent. “Choosing veggies over fries significantly reduces fat, saturated fat, and calories and increases fiber, vitamins and minerals. Our veggies strike a perfect balance between tasty and nutritious, and they can make a significant difference to anyone’s health and well-being.”
VCS will offer different vegetable choices throughout the week, including broccoli, carrots, cauliflower and green beans with various methods of preparation to increase variety. Vegetables can be roasted, toasted, steamed, glazed and seasoned to maximize flavor while maintaining the important level of nutrition. A variety of vegetables are also available at Creation Station while many PatriotBrew coffee shops offer salads and PatriotStores offer veggie-based snacks.
“I encourage customers to add tomatoes, mushrooms or even caramelized onions as pizza toppings and lettuce, red onion and tomatoes on sandwiches and salads,” Swehla said. “There are so many ways to add color and variety to a meal and Creation Station is the perfect service for enjoying a different meal every day.”
The “Choose Veggies” campaign comes just in time for August’s National Wellness Month, celebrated every August, which focuses on practices like stress management, self-care, implementing healthy routines and improving your overall health and wellness. Eating more vegetables is a great way to prioritize health.
Since 1946, Veterans Canteen Service has provided reasonably priced merchandise and services essential to the comfort and well-being of America’s Veterans enrolled in VA health care. VCS is a self-sustaining service embedded in nearly 200 VA medical centers and clinics, providing retail, café, coffee, vending, retail optical and many other customer-facing services.
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VEGETABLES ARE DELICIOUS I Prefer them sometimes over meats I love vegetables like I like love my fruits and fish.
Wonderful Progress! We need 100% plant-based options for all main meals VCS serves. When I go to the VCS cafeteria, I still see too many unhealthy fried foods as the leading food choice. VCS needs to model the benefits of plant-based eating promoted in the VA weight management programs.
Thanks , this made me thank veggis is the way to go. We will be eating mord
Great to hear more veggies included at the Canteen!
It’s about time!!! The cafeteria at John Cochran VAMC in St. Louis has offered fried, processed, high-fat, high sodium food choices for the last 25 years (as long as I’ve been going there). A few years ago, they finally added pre-packaged sushi and one small prepackaged salad option–but that was about it. And of course, the ever-popular soda machine was a favorite for patients and staff members.
As a nurse and an obese patient following a Whole Food, Plant-Based (WFPB) lifestyle (and Type II Diabetic), I’ve been very disappointed in these high-priced “food” options” I’ve spoken with the staff on more than a dozen occasions, and not once was a supervisor interested in talking with me.
The patient population at John Cochran is largely elderly and minority, with frequent limited mobility. Many of us are overweight. I’m grateful that the VA is finally taking steps to help us in our quest for healthy living and improved quality of life. Thank you!
veg is what every one need for helt
Can you please help me passed Law a Disabled Veteran who is 100percent service connected
Arnold, if you need some help, send me an email; I work for VA: brian.vorce@va.gov
Add some good Fruit with the Veggies & Mission Accomplished ..Great Read
Great news, veggies are great nutrition for the brain. HELP SAVE MEMORY!!!