Tribune: Busy season: good for the bottom line, bad for the waistline


According to ezCater, a corporate catering platform, healthy eating goes right out the window as soon as tax season hits.1 They surveyed 600 tax pros to see how busy season affects their diet and found:

  • 96% reported skipping meals they would have normally eaten;
  • 81% said they don’t eat as healthy during tax season as they usually do; and
  • Gen X tax pros (born between 1965 and 1980) were 86% more likely than Gen Z (born 1997 to 2013) to indulge in comfort food during busy season.

But it’s not all bad news. Office-provided meals can offer a way to take a quick break and recharge before heading back for that 6:00 to midnight shift:

  • 82% of those surveyed say meals provided by the office allowed them to take a break from their work;
  • 75% noted being able to interact with other employees;
  • 72% said office meals allowed them to be able to work extra hours.

Maybe you can have your cake and eat it, too

So a huge order of McDonald’s for the entire office is probably off the table, right? Not so fast. Dinner in the conference room might not have to always be green goddess salads and lettuce wraps.

McDonald’s has partnered with Beyond Meat and began selling the McPlant burger in 2021, which is currently available in Texas and Northern California.2 (The burger is permanently on the menu in several countries in Europe.) McDonald’s also just announced the rollout of their next plant-based product: McPlant Nuggets, which are made from peas, corn, and wheat, enrobed in a tempura batter.3 No pink foam in sight.

Chick-fil-A is also expanding its menu to offer plant-based options: After four years of R&E, starting February 13 it released a breaded cauliflower sandwich that is currently available at locations in Denver, Colorado; Charleston, South Carolina; and Greensboro, North Carolina.4