How to Make Hospital Food Healthier: 4 Proven Strategies

Hospitals are finding ways to serve healthier meals while accommodating patients’ clinical needs, preferences and desire for comfort. To reinforce the commitment to healthier meals, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is encouraging hospitals and health systems to sign a voluntary Make Hospital Food Healthier Pledge.

The foundational pillars of the pledge — real food, patient choices, nutrition education and community programs — are based on the most recent USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and favor whole, nutrient-dense foods while encouraging minimal consumption of highly processed items, sugary drinks, added sugars and sodium.

Many hospitals and health systems nationwide have already signed the voluntary pledge. Here are some proven tactics for making hospital food healthier from a few health systems that have joined the initiative and made progress.

1 | Personalize meals around patients’ nutritional needs and preferences.

What constitutes a healthy diet can vary considerably from one patient to the next. That’s why Houston Methodist combines clinical guidance with personal attention to tailor meals. Food service staff collaborate with dieticians and other care team members to address patients’ preferences, allergies and clinical requirements. They also find appropriate alternatives if a patient requests a meal that doesn’t fit their diet.

In addition to helping patients find a meal that meets their needs without making dining feel impersonal, the Houston Methodist team prioritizes continuity: The staff member who takes a patient’s order delivers the meal whenever possible. While the care team, food service team and dieticians prioritize clinical requirements, they also listen carefully to patients’ feedback and aim to create enjoyable dining experiences.

While clinicians, food service staff and dieticians provide guidance, Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Corewell Health also makes sure patients are part of the process.

“We believe the right food choices are always guided by conversations between patients, physicians and their care teams,” said Corewell Health President and CEO Tina Freese Decker in an email.

2 | Make healthier choices through smarter ingredient swaps.

Making menus healthier doesn’t necessarily require removing favorite foods; the same item can pack a lot more nutrition with different ingredients. While Corewell’s culinary transformation has involved eliminating highly processed foods and removing soda from the printed menu, much of the initiative has focused on swapping ingredients with an emphasis on fresh, locally sourced food. For example, the health system traded tilapia for salmon and replaced processed sauces with homemade ones, like a barbecue sauce made with fresh red peppers.

The Houston Methodist team has a similar outlook. “Rather than assuming a favorite dish must simply be removed, we have modified preparations and identified alternatives that meet clinical needs as well as the spirit of the pledge,” the health system said in an emailed statement.

3 | Strengthen local sourcing and community connections.

Corewell sources 40% of its food from local farms and businesses. The system also collaborates with local farms across the state to purchase seasonal produce. Buying from farmers the health system knows makes it easier to verify that they meet standards such as not using chemicals on crops.

“In return, we’re seeing improvement in community health,” said Mick Rickerd, Corewell Health’s corporate executive chef advisor.

4 | Preserve flavor, choice and comfort.

While transforming your hospital’s menu may mean removing some options, it’s vital to ensure patients still enjoy their meals. Before implementing menu changes, Houston Methodist conducts taste-testing sessions with patient care teams to confirm that modified recipes meet quality and flavor standards.

Dr. Jeremy Cauwels, chief medical officer at Sanford Health in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, notes that hospitals and health systems have the opportunity to show patients and their families that food can be both healthy and appealing.

“A thoughtfully prepared meal can provide comfort and a sense of normalcy while giving someone the nourishment they need to heal,” he said in an email. “We want patients to enjoy their meals and feel that their needs and preferences matter.”

Making hospital food healthier doesn’t mean eliminating treats and holiday meals. Corewell still plans to serve a traditional Thanksgiving feast, complete with turkey, green bean casserole and stuffing. But the ingredients will be high-quality and prepared as healthily as possible. They’ll make the turkey gravy from scratch and prepare the casserole with air-fried onions, among other adjustments.

“We recognize that food is emotional for our patients and our visitors,” Rickerd said. “We want to try to bring them the comforts of home.”

Ultimately, it’s important to remember what people are going through in the hospital and make reasonable allowances.

“People are there at an emotional time of their life,” Rickerd said. “They want food to bring them comfort. If you’re having a terrible day and you want chocolate cake, I’m going to serve you chocolate cake. It’s just going to be very high-quality chocolate cake.”

The Bottom Line for Hospitals and Health Systems

Healthier hospital food doesn’t have to come at the expense of patient choice, flavor or comfort. By personalizing meals, rethinking ingredients, strengthening local sourcing and listening to patients, hospitals and health systems can support nutrition and clinical needs while creating a more positive dining experience.

First announced at AHA’s Annual Membership Meeting in April, the pledge was the focus of a recent webinar hosted by AHA with HHS and CMS to help hospitals learn more about participating. Watch the Webinar Replay.