Sodexho USA Announces Your Health Your Way, On the Go Offering More Healthy Options in the Workplace

GAITHERSBURG, MD, May 9, 2005-Sodexho USA, the nation's leading food service provider, has expanded its Your Health Your WaySM program to include vending products and services. The innovative Your Health Your Way, On The Go vending program will improve workplace dining by offering a wider variety of healthy snacks and beverages in vending machines that adhere to strict nutrition guidelines, making it easier for millions of working Americans to snack healthier while on the job.

“We are revolutionizing the way corporate America is snacking,” said Leslee McGovern, MS, RD, LDN, senior director of brand management wellness for Sodexho USA's Corporate Services Division. “Your Health Your Way, On The Go comes at a time when people are more focused on issues like obesity and weight control. We realize that people will want to snack at work and this program is designed to allow them to make healthier choices when they do.”

While Sodexho has always offered healthy snacking alternatives, the Your Health Your Way, On The Go vending program follows updated, more rigorous nutrition guidelines. Snack options have 200 calories or less per serving, 35 percent of calories or less from fat, 360 mg or less of sodium, at least 1 gram of dietary fiber, are low in saturated fat and trans fat free. Snacks eligible for the program can also meet at least four of the nutrition guidelines as long as they provide 10 percent or more of the daily value of one or more important nutrients such as protein, fiber, vitamins A, C, E, calcium, iron, or another vitamin or mineral.

All snacks in the vending program are reviewed and approved by a panel of registered dietitians from Sodexho, further ensuring that the snacks meet the guidelines. Many of the Your Health Your Way, On The Go snacks also meet national nutrition requirements for low fat (3 grams or less total fat), low sodium (140 mg or less sodium) and Sodexho's Watching Your Carbs?SM program (10 grams of total carbohydrates or less).

The program is set to launch this month at General Mills' headquarters in Minneapolis, home to about 3,000 employees, where 24 vending machines will feature the new line of healthy snack options. Previously stocked with a mix of traditional products such as candy and snacks along with healthier options like fruit mix and energy bars, every vending machine at the site will now feature items that meet Your Health Your Way, On The Go guidelines. Examples of the products include: Chex Mix®, Nature Valley® Chewy Trail Mix Granola Bars, Nature Valley® Oats n Honey Granola Bars, Nature Valley® Peanut Butter Granola Bars, Nature Valley® Banana Nut Granola Bars, Honey Nut Cheerios® Milk n Cereal Bars, Team Cheerios® Whole Grain Cereal Bars, and Sunkist® Fruit Bars.

“Healthy employees are productive employees and Sodexho's healthy vending initiative fits into General Mills' broader employee health and wellness program,” said Dr. Timothy Crimmins, vice president of Health, Safety, and Wellness at General Mills. “Smart snacking helps our employees keep up their energy level at work while maintaining their overall health. Through Your Health Your Way, On The Go, we're encouraging employees to seek lower calorie, lower fat snack choices that also include whole grains.”

About Your Health Your WaySM
Your Health Your Way is Sodexho USA's innovative wellness program developed by leading professional dietitians and executive chefs. It combines sensible nutrition guidelines with top quality ingredients and healthful cooking methods to deliver a collection of satisfying menu offerings. Your Health Your Way meals can be customized to fit most any dietary lifestyle and share three main essential characteristics: they all taste great, they are power- packed with essential nutrients and they all meet the guidelines of less than 30% calories from fat, no more than three grams of saturated fat, less than 100 mg of cholesterol, less than 1000 mg of sodium, less than 600 calories and at least three grams of fiber. For more information about Your Health Your Way, please go to www.yourhealthyourwayonline.com.

Sodexho USA (www.sodexhoUSA.com) is the leading provider of food and facilities management in the United States, with $6 billion in annual revenue and 110,000+ employees. Sodexho USA offers innovative outsourcing solutions in food service, housekeeping, grounds keeping, plant operations and maintenance, asset management, and laundry services to more than 6,000 corporations, health care, long term care and retirement centers, schools, college campuses, military and remote sites in North America. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, MD, Sodexho USA proudly serves as the official food service provider for the US Marine Corps.