Plant Powered 30

Welcome to Plant Powered 30! You may download the resources and run the challenge as you wish. The following is a suggested protocol for Plant Powered 30.

1. Create Plant Powered 30 management team –  we suggest employee wellness and food service 

Employee wellness

• Coordinates the challenge logistics 
• Sends or posts weekly reminders/inspiration
• Works with food service to promote

Food service

• Offers a plant-based option daily throughout the challenge 
• Promotes the challenge and dishes that qualify
• Records participation through punchcard or another method of your choice (optional)

2. Customize and use the Plant Powered 30 promotional materials (below)
3. Create a Plant Powered 30 landing page or hub. Suggestions include:
   • A social media page (Facebook event page, for example)
   • An Event management page (Eventbrite, for example)
   • An intranet page
   • A Slack, Skype, or other messenger app channel 
4. Promote Plant Powered 30 to employees using promotional resources and ask employees to sign up by the last day of the previous month. Suggestions for signing up include:
   • Liking/following the social media page
   • Joining the Slack or messaging channel 
   • Filling out a web form (e.g. Survey Monkey, Google Forms)
   • Emailing the challenge administrator 
5. Offer at least one plant-forward menu item at lunch and promote it using the promotional resources 
6. Support and encourage participants throughout the challenge using your own content and activities and/or by utilizing our Plant Powered 30 employee engagement guide (below). 
7. Track participation (optional). Suggestions include:
   • Utilize the Plant Powered 30 punchcard and ask a food service staff member to punch your Plant Powered 30 card or use the honor system and participants can punch the card themselves
   • Have participants comment, post, and interact on the Plant-Powered 30 landing page or hub (For example if using Facebook, a moderator could pose a question to participants on how they are doing and likes, comments can count towards participation.)
   • Ask participants to fill out a weekly survey or end-of-challenge survey.
   • Use employee badges or another digital tracking method if your facility has the technology.
8. Award a prize Prizes can be a big motivator for trying something new. You could award anyone who participates with a small prize or award those that made it through the whole challenge by entering them into a lottery for a grand prize! Prize ideas include:
   • Free meal(s)
   • Free drink(s)
   • Wearable fitness tracker (e.g. Fitbit)
   • Gym membership
   • Dinner for two at local restaurant
   • Community Supported Agriculture share 
   • Cookbook

These 15 recipes were created by hospital chefs who were winners or finalists in our Health Care Culinary Contest scaled for home preparation. You can share these recipe cards via email, social media, or print.
 

1. UW Health’s Afghan-style vegetable korma (2021 Winner)
2. NYU Langone Health’s butternut squash & green pea farrotto (2021 Finalist)
3. Peace Health Saint Joseph’s Shoyu beet poke bowl (2021 Finalist)
4. Stanford Hospital’s wild mushroom birria (2021 Finalist)
5. Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System’s curry sweet potato power crunch bowl (2021 Finalist)
6. Stanford Health Care’s adobo de la tierra (2020 Winner)
7. Davis Hospital and Medical Center’s sweet potato tempura and black bean tacos (2020 Finalist)
8. MetroHealth System’s Spanish frijoles salad with plantain chips (2020 Finalist)
9. NYU Langone Health’s autumn vegetable curry (2020 Finalist)
10. Winchester Hospital’s pumpkin seed-encrusted eggplant rollatini (2020 Finalist)
11. Adventist Health’s Vitaliz haystack (2019 Winner)
12. Arkansas Children’s harissa roasted carrot bowl (2019 Finalist)
13. Emory University Hospital’s walnut lentil tacos (2019 Finalist)
14. Stanford Healthcare’s spaghetti with a twist (2019 Finalist)
15. St. John’s local lamb and lentil Greek power bowl (2019 Finalist)

We have ten plant-forward fun facts for you to share with challenge participants on the relationship between food and climate, the health benefits of plant proteins, and more.

1) Your choices matter

Did you know…

• The production of animal proteins uses 83% of available farmland but generates only 18% of the total calories consumed by humans, and 37% of the protein consumed.
• Plant proteins are a healthy and delicious choice that conserves resources and builds healthy soil.
• Plant proteins are more energy efficient to produce than animal proteins. For example, legumes are up to 15 times more efficient than beef per gram of protein.
• Eating a plant-forward diet will reduce your greenhouse gas impact. Limiting animal proteins and eating more plant proteins is a delicious form of climate action you can take every day. 

Share our infographic on the positive environmental impact a plant-forward choice can make.

Participants can learn more at practicegreenhealth.org/plantforwardpower

You can pair this message with printable signs that include a QR code leading to this webpage.

2) Plants provide plentiful protein

Most Americans easily meet their daily protein needs, in fact, many are eating more protein than their bodies can use. The plant kingdom offers plenty of protein options. The Harvard TH Chan School of public health lays out the options. What variety!

• Legumes: lentils, beans (adzuki, black, fava, chickpeas/garbanzo, kidney,  lima, mung, pinto, etc.), peas (green, snow, snap, split, etc.), edamame/soybeans (and products made from soy: tofu, tempeh, etc.), peanuts.
• Nuts and Seeds: almonds, pistachios, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, hemp seeds, squash and pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds.
• Whole Grains: kamut, teff, wheat, quinoa, rice, wild rice, millet, oats, buckwheat

Share our infographic to accompany and illustrate these fun facts.

3) Loving legumes

• Commonly known legumes include lentils, beans, and peas.
• Growing legumes is good for our soils as they are the only crop that takes nitrogen from the air and deposits it into the soil.  
• Beans are the only foods in 2 My Plate food groups! You can choose to count beans, peas, and lentils as part of the Vegetable Group or the Protein Foods Group depending on how they fit into your overall eating pattern.
• Legumes are a significant source of protein, dietary fiber, carbohydrates and dietary minerals; for example, a 100 gram serving of cooked chickpeas contains 18 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for protein and 30 percent DV for dietary fiber.

Share our infographic to accompany and illustrate these fun facts.

4) Go nuts for nuts

You can power your day with protein-packed nuts, not only are they a satisfying snack, you’ll feel great choosing this sustainable option. 

Share our infographic to accompany and illustrate these fun facts.

5) Eat seeds for all your protein needs

Seeds are tasty, full of protein, and a planet-friendly, water-efficient food.

Share our infographic to accompany and illustrate these fun facts.

6) Plant-forward is trending

Did you know…

• Vegetarian- and vegan-friendly dishes took 7 of the top 10 orders of the year on GrubHub in 2019. 
• “More than 30 percent of Americans have meat-free days, more than 50 percent of adults drink nondairy milk and about 83 percent are adding more plant-based foods to their diets.”
• 21% percent of consumers who are limiting animal protein to be more environmentally friendly in 2020 (grew from 16% in 2017). 
• Get more plant-forward stats from Menus of Change’s Plant-Forward by the Numbers.

7) Plant protein power

If you eat a variety of plant proteins you can easily meet your daily protein needs. Plant-forward diets are complete diets! The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics states that plant-based diets “are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. These diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older adulthood, and for athletes.”  

8) Get your fiber

Legumes are a great source of fiber. That's important because most Americans don't get the recommended 25 to 38 grams each day. Fiber helps keep you regular and protects against heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and digestive illness. For example, a cup of cooked lentils provides about 18 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber, and it has virtually no saturated fat or sodium.

9) Bean jokes

What do you call a group of trendy beans? Cool beans.
Lighten the mood and share some bean jokes.

10) Show don't tell: Plant-forward videos

Check out this video about [fill in the topic] for inspiration!

• Cooking for wellness 19 recipes and easy-to-follow cooking instructional videos from Health Care Culinary Contest finalist NYU Langone. Many of these recipes focus on health attributes and all of them are plant-forward.
• Humane Society recipes 
• What are pulses? 
• Learn how pulses are harvested  
• Which superfoods are also sustainable? Pulses! 
• Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN is The Plant-Powered Dietitian. Sharon is an award-winning, world-recognized registered dietitian and food and nutrition expert specializing in plant-based nutrition and sustainability. This playlist offers recipes, knowledge, and more
• Did your chef or food service director create a "What does plant-forward mean to you" in our Plant-Forward Future video series? If so you might want to share your video.

1. Share the cafeteria/cafe offerings for Plant Powered 30 daily or weekly 
   1. Today’s Plant Powered 30 dish is… or This week the cafeteria’s Plant Powered 30 offerings are…
   2. What has been your favorite dish so far?
2. Poll: How is the challenge going?
   1. Plantasic!
   2. I have slipped a few times
   3. Help! I need more inspiration!
3. Poll: What’s your plant-forward “reason”?
   1. Great food!
   2. Eating healthy!
   3. Future generations (climate change, the environment)
4. Open-ended question: Day 15, half-way through! Tell us how you’re doing with Plant Powered 30?
5. Quiz: Which of these provide 7 grams or more of protein per serving? Chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, lentils, and peanuts? Answer: They all do! 
    

Promote the Plant Powered 30 challenge to your employees and prompt them to sign on by last day of the previous month. Utilize the following copy for your promotion via email or social media and please modify it according to how you decide to conduct the challenge (e.g. if you will offer prizes and what they will be, how you will ask people to sign up).

Celebrate the season with Plant Powered 30

Spring is upon us and it's the perfect time to celebrate the delicious bounty of the season. Plant Powered 30 is a 30-day challenge to inspire you to try eating plant-forward once per day (and hopefully more!)

Plant-forward is a style of cooking and eating that emphasizes and celebrates, but is not limited to, foods from plant sources – fruits and vegetables (produce), whole grains, legumes (pulses), nuts and seeds, plant oils, and herbs and spices – and reflects evidence-based principles of health and sustainability. - Culinary Institute of America

Join the fun!

• Try a variety of tasty new foods
• Discover recipes, meal ideas, and more
• Win prizes 

How it works 

1. Sign up by [ insert link, social media page or email address]
2. Eat a plant-forward lunch every day in [Month]
3. Visit the cafe for daily Plant Powered 30 specials or 
4. Bring a plant-forward lunch from home, we’ll be sharing recipes throughout the month
5. Share how you did and enter to win a prize!
    

We suggest you send or post a welcome message to Plant Powered 30 participants outlining what to expect and how to participate. We recommend that the welcome message contain three main messages. Please choose and modify the messages so that it works for how you are conducting the challenge.

Message 1:
Challenge accepted! Thank you for joining the Plant Powered 30. We look forward to a fun and delicious [Month]! 

Message 2:
Check our Plant Powered 30 [Facebook, Instagram, Slack, webpage] for regular inspiration, recipes, and more! We’ll also post the delicious Plant Powered 30 offerings in the cafeteria for the week.

or

Check your inbox throughout the month for Plant Powered 30 for inspiration, recipes, and more! We’ll also share the delicious Plant Powered 30 offerings in the cafeteria for the week.

Message 3: 
Share your plant-forward experiences with us throughout the challenge and let us know how you are doing. Be sure to keep track of your plant-forward lunches using the Plant Powered 30 punchard. Download it here or pick up a card in the cafeteria.

or

Share your plant-forward experiences with us throughout the challenge and let us know how you are doing. Be sure to like and comment on Plant-Powered posts to let us know you are still participating. 
 

Vertical 

Choose from a variety of vertical posters. Both digital and print options are available. All of them are customizable in Adobe Acrobat Pro or via the customizable template in Canva.

Download PDFs

1. Plant Powered 30 vertical poster 1 (digital)
2. Plant Powered 30 vertical poster 2 (digital)
3. Plant Powered 30 vertical poster 3 (digital)
4. Plant Powered 30 vertical poster 4 (digital)
5. Plant Powered 30 vertical poster 5 (digital)
6. Plant Powered 30 vertical poster 6 (print)
7. Plant Powered 30 vertical poster 7  "Today's Plant Power 30 meal is..." template (print)

Horizontal

Choose from a variety of horizontal posters. Both digital and print options are available. All of them are customizable in Adobe Acrobat Pro or via the customizable template in Canva.

Download PDFs

1. Plant Powered 30 horizontal poster 1 (digital)
2. Plant Powered 30 horizontal poster 2 (digital)
3. Plant Powered 30 horizontal poster 3 (digital)
4. Plant Powered 30 horizontal poster 4 (print)
5. Plant Powered 30 horizontal poster 5  "Today's Plant Power 30 meal is..." sample (digital)
6. Plant Powered 30 horizontal poster 6  "Today's Plant Power 30 meal is..." template (digital)
7. Plant Powered 30 horizontal poster 7  "Today's Plant Power 30 meal is..." template (print)

Use our wallet-sized punchcard for participants to track their meals. The punchcard is customizable in Adobe Acrobat Pro (Download PDF) or via the template on Canva.

Share your enthusiasm for Plant Powered 30 on social media with these images. Use #PlantPowered30 for your posts and we'll amplify them!

Facebook event banner

Use our Facebook event banner to illustrate your challenge's landing page.

Download the customizable Facebook event banner (PDF)

Download the generic Facebook event banner (PDF)

Use the customizable Canva template.

Twitter

Download Twitter post image "We're doing Plant Powered 30" (PDF)

Download Twitter post image 'I'm doing Plant Powered 30" (PDF)

Use customizable Canva template

Instagram

Download Instagram post images "We're doing Plant Powered 30" and 'I'm doing Plant Powered 30" (PDF)

Use customizable Canva template

You can accompany your daily messages to participants with images that count down the days of the challenge. The images are customizable in Adobe Acrobat Pro (Download PDFs below) or via our templates on Canva.

Download PDFs

• Day 1
• Day 2
• Day 3
• Day 4
• Day 5
• Day 6
• Day 7
• Day 8
• Day 9
• Day 10
• Day 11
• Day 12
• Day 13
• Day 14
• Day 15
• Day 16
• Day 17
• Day 18
• Day 19
• Day 20
• Day 21
• Day 22
• Day 23
• Day 24 
• Day 25
• Day 26
• Day 27
• Day 28
• Day 29
• Day 30