I was quite inspired yesterday when I saw an article in the New York Times about healthy hospital food. Healthy hospital food? Yes, this term need not be an oxymoron.
You may want to take a look at the entire article as it is filled with detail and solutions (on a small level, though it’s a start) to our national health crisis. What health crisis? One-third of Americans are diabetic or pre-diabetic which in the coming years could cost our system billions of dollars, along with other diseases related to lifestyle.
Last week I discussed Mark Bittman’s proposed soda tax as a possible idea for dealing with this looming crisis. The response? Most comments were not in favor of such a tax. I want to thank all who left comments on the soda tax post –they were informative and I enjoyed the lively debate.
Today, I want to take a different approach by looking at examples of individuals and institutions that are changing our food landscape through innovation and new ideas.
Here’s a great example. More than two years ago, in the wake of dismal patient food ratings, New Milford Hospital revamped its food service operation. It also instituted an “aggressive healthy-food initiative.” Some of the changes included eliminating the cafeteria’s deep fryer, as well as no longer using canned or processed foods.
“The hospital’s food service rating soared,” said Marydale Debor, a former vice president of external affairs at New Milford Hospital and a co-founder of the web site Plow to Plate, a grass-roots effort to bring local food and agriculture to the hospital and the community. Ms. Debor also established the cafe’s daily Senior Suppers, which became so popular with senior citizens that a second sitting was added.
The program has its costs and the chef explains how he has dealt with increased costs:
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Buying local is expensive and labor intensive, Mr. Gold said, so he offsets the increased cost by buying less red meat and serving low-cost alternatives: protein-rich quinoa citrus salad and portobello burgers, for example. With help from community volunteers, Mr. Gold also installed a rooftop garden.
My father works at a university hospital and growing up I used to go to work with him on the weekends, so growing up I spent my fair share of time in a hospital cafeteria. I don’t recall great offerings back then, though happily, he says things have changed, “in previous decades the choices in my hospital cafeteria were limited, now, however, there is a full array of healthy food.”
So, here’s a new topic for us to chew on: hospital food. Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts on the type of program the New Milford Hospital has implemented. Do you think programs such as this can have an impact around the country? Do you have other ideas? Better ideas? Let us know!
Louisa says
Hospitals suck at healthy food. Period.
I was in a hospital for a couple days short of a month when I was a teenager. Being vegetarian and GF I expected a restricted diet. But seriously. I got instant white rice and a really awful iceberg lettuce salad for lunch and dinner. For breakfast, rice chex. Every day. For the whole month. How can they think that’s an OK way to feed people, health wise? I do not understand.
Maegan says
It highlights the lack of education of providers in general about nutrition. I’m sure they get the tainted USDA food pyramid lecture in 2 hrs and that covers the nutrition requirement. Like most Americans, most have no clue. To think that what you put in your body on a daily basis doesn’t effect the disease or illness they are contending with just blows me away.
Until there are no hospitals with a McDonalds inside it, then there is still work to be done. Hooray to this hospital for taking that bold step. However, It is really sad that it’s a bold step, it just seems like common sense to me.
Kristina says
Hello There,
Just to clear things up yes some health care providers like doctors and nurses only get one nutrition maybe two classes in their schooling. However to become and registered dietitian it is a 5 year degree that includes and internship that is almost a year long. And I can tell you we study MORE than just USDA requirements. Out studies include disease state, management, pathology, anatomy and physiology, all the chemistry classes, pharmacolagy for some, cooking classes, food science, clinical nutrtion throughout the life cycle, disease prevention. We study all of the vitamins and minerals and how they work in our bodies down to the cellular level. All that and more and then state boards to become registered. So I think I have a little more education than just the USDA guidelines. So please be careful with what you say. it is hurtful. I am very well educated on nutrition and so are other registered dietitans.
Maria says
When I gave birth to my son 13 1/2 years ago, and then my older daughter 8 years ago, it was at the same hospital in Madison, WI. The food was wonderful! My tray was always filled with fresh, yummy food, and one day for lunch they actually gave me a hummus wrap that was chock-full of veggies. (At the time I still ate wheat.) They also made sure to give me an alternative to dairy because I’m lactose-intolerant. (Funny little story: somebody from the food service department actually called my room while I was in labor to verify that I really didn’t want cow’s milk. My husband told them to call back because I was busy having a baby.)
So imagine my shock when, after giving birth to my youngest in another hospital in another city, I found myself more-or-less having to cobble together a decent meal out of the sparse offerings. The food was lifeless, tasteless, and most of it was processed. It was awful. Even the eggs were powdered. I just couldn’t believe that this was a place where people were expected to heal!
So, I already know that hospitals can do better than they often do when it comes to food service. The question is, just like with our schools, how many are willing to see the payoff?
Maegan says
Hospitals don’t win out if we eat healthier. They need sick people to fix. Just like big food and pharma, they like the status quo.
Carol says
Good quality food is a necessity in most hospitals and other institutions, that is a given. But even when they serve the better stuff, they flunk.
My husband was hospitalized for several days have a knee replacement. They had an awesome menu system that let you build your own meals. Hubby had fresh salads – mixed lettuces or spinach – with his lunches and suppers daily. And since he loves string beans and peas, usually had one of them and other veggies. He ate well – as he is used to. Unfortunately, it was too well. Blood tests kept coming back saying his blood was too thin. It was not until the day before they released him that they looked at his menus from his stay and told him to back off the greens, so they could keep poking the blood thinners in him to do what he was doing with his veggies!
They just don’t get it. He would have been just as well off if they would have let him keep eating they way he was used to and forgotten about the blood thinners.
Susan says
Please put a big X through that disgusting plate of food on this article. Gross.
Naomi says
I’ve visited friends and family in the hospital and seen such disgusting, inedible stuff passed off as food. I always bring something for them to eat if they are willing to have it but since there aren’t mini-fridges, you can’t supply them with all their needs for very long. It’s really great that this situation is starting to shift. The irony is ridiculous. Thank you for sharing this!
Tracy says
When my husband was in the new specialized Heart Center at our hospital, I went to the cafeteria to get us some lunch. I was appalled! The only choices for the Heart Center’s patients: fried chicken patties, fried chicken fingers, french fries and onion rings. Or pastries. I do hope for change.
Nell Shorrock says
On the first of June my husband was taken to hospital with a heart attack, after tests and more tests they told him he had Celiac. He had many more problems all related to Celiac. He was in hospital for 28 days. When the doctors let the kitchen know he had to be on a celiac
diet, they actually started the same day.
For the next 25 days, he ate the same thing for breakfast, for lunch and for dinner. His menu never changed. We could have filled out the menu on Sunday and they could actually have followed that for the next 25 days. .
He got so sick of the same food, day after day, he actually stopped eating. That was when I knew I had to do something.
So starting with this site, I looked up recipes and followed them exactly and would take up dinners to him every nite. He actually enjoyed eating on a gluten free diet.
Educating the kitchen staff about gluten free would make it so much easier for the next person that has to eat their food.
Making it mandatory would be the best thing ever.
Jane Blomquist says
With any luck, barring an accident, I’ll never go to the hospital, ’cause I eat a gluten free, grain free, sugar free modified Paleo diet; and I won’t have to eat lousy food. When are doctors going to understand nutrition?
Norma says
It is ironic, don’t you think, that we go to the hospital because we are sick, but the poor quality of the food is detrimental to our health. It surely doesn’t make any sense. Actually, it doesn’t even make any sense if one considers the nutritional advice which much of the medical establishment hands out to patients. I feel so fortunate to have found your website, and some others, like Kelly’s Spunky Coconut. As a nation, we need to work hard to improve our food supply. Thank you for your excellent website, and yummy recipes, too!