In the business world, snacks are love. We bring donuts for meetings, muffins for morale, and coffee by the gallon. It’s well-intentioned — a way to show appreciation and boost energy.

But imagine doing that in an elementary classroom.

No teacher in their right mind would mainline sugar into the veins of a bunch of 8-year-olds. We know better. What goes in affects how kids focus, behave, and feel.

So why do managers — who also want focus, good behavior, and positive energy — often choose snacks that do the opposite?

What if we borrowed from the classroom playbook instead?

1. Sugar crashes morale

Donuts feel amazing for 15 minutes. Then everyone is tired, distracted, irritable, and craving more sugar! Teachers avoid sugar before lessons because they’ve seen the crash — and it’s real. Although grownups don’t usually get a sugar high, they do crash, and productivity suffers.

2. The best treats feed focus, not fatigue.

Fruit, nuts, veggies with dip, and tea energize without derailing concentration. A bowl of blueberries says, I care about your health, not I bought whatever was near the register.

3. Modeling matters.

Elementary teachers model habits we want kids to adopt. Managers can do the same. When leaders choose mindful snacks, they signal that wellbeing isn’t a side note — it’s part of the culture.

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Try This:

Next time you plan a staff meeting or appreciation day, skip the sugar and try a “brain food” spread — fruit, veggies, hummus, nuts, green tea.

See if your team feels sharper, calmer, and more focused afterward.

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Extra Credit:

What’s the healthiest team snack you’ve ever seen at work?

Share your ideas — or a photo — in the comments to inspire other leaders to rethink their breakroom tables.