With the well-known health benefits of a whole foods plant-based diet, plant-based catering is the obvious choice for hospital canteens and in-patient meals.
Given our evolving knowledge on the harms of these animal products, serving such foods in hospitals is becoming increasingly incongruous with the mission of healthcare providers. One group of doctors stated: “It’s the equivalent to distributing cigarettes in the pulmonary care unit.”[1]
By embracing plant-based menus, hospitals can improve patient and public health, and directly mitigate the chronic and public health risks they continually combat.
How are hospitals transitioning to plant-based catering? The New Food Hub’s recent article spotlights the case study of New York’s public hospitals. An effort spearheaded by New York Mayor and plant-based advocate Eric Adams, the initiative to default plant-based meals boasts impressive results.
To name just one success: before defaulting, 1% of eligible patients chose a plant-based meal. Now, the figure is 50%. As a result, NYC Health + Hospitals have recorded a 36% decrease in food-related emissions, cost savings of around 59 cents per meal, and a patient satisfaction rate above 95%.[2] In 2023, they served roughly one million plant-based meals to patients.
The New York case study demonstrates that plant-based catering in hospitals is a multi-problem solution: reducing carbon emissions, lowering costs, and maintaining exceptional patient satisfaction simultaneously. And all thanks to the relatively simple and achievable method of menu defaults.
What’s more, organisations like Greener By Default offer tailored support services to help healthcare institutions implement effective plant-based defaults.
“We create custom interventions based on the food service environment and patient demographics. For those seeking to increase the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of their catering whilst retaining patient satisfaction, contact Greener By Default so that we can conduct a menu audit and offer customised suggestions that will be easiest to implement and have the biggest impact,” said Katie Cantrell, Co-Founder and CEO of Greener By Default
The imperative is clear and the research is strong, and growing. More and more hospitals are serving more and more food that is plant-based by default. The New York case study is a powerful and convincing proof of concept demonstrating the success of sustainable, delicious, plant-based food.
Find more expert quotes and analysis in the full article on the New Food Hub, and get in touch with their expert team directly at corporate@proveg.org
[1] Scottish Doctors Tell NHS Serving Meat in Hospitals is like Distributing Cigarettes (2022). Vegan First. Available at: https://www.veganfirst.com/article/scottish-doctors-tell-nhs-serving-meat-in-hospitals-is-like-distributing-cigarettes. Accessed 2024-01-11
[2] Note that the cost-savings were initially recorded at 59 cents, although this does vary depending on fluctuations in supply chain prices.
