Officials slam hospital food as health experts demand menu overhaul: ‘Farm to gurney’
Khan said he has seen patients order their meals from Grubhub, DoorDash or Uber Eats because they felt the hospital menu options were not healthy enough.
“Most of the hospital meals do not provide adequate nutrients … to properly support healing, muscle maintenance, immunity or overall recovery,” he told Fox News Digital.
“Poor nutrition only makes things worse for this patient pool,” Khan went on. “Ultimately, poor nutrition is very harmful for elderly patients and people with chronic illnesses. They are at a higher risk for muscle loss, weakness, delayed healing, infection and re-infection.”
“There seems to be a lack of high-quality protein, fresh fruits, vegetables and healthy fats,” a doctor said. (iStock)
Celebrity chef and restaurateur Geoffrey Zakarian is partnering with Tampa General Hospital in Florida to transform hospital dining, introducing Mediterranean diet–inspired meals for patients.
Zakarian told Fox News Digital that hospital food is often a mix of “high desire, low-value and low-nutrition food,” typically priced to meet a strict per-plate cost that hospitals cannot exceed.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES
“[There is] very little emphasis on original, pasture-raised proteins and fats like eggs, whole dairy grass-fed beef and poultry, and unprocessed vegetables,” he said.
In Tampa, Zakarian has been working since 2023 to eliminate all processed foods — removing items containing hormones, added sugars, seed oils and anything prepackaged.
“All the food originates from farms and gardens in and around Tampa,” he said, calling the mission “Farm to Gurney.”
“Patients are often served items such as pasta, processed deli meats, packaged snacks with artificial components, sugary desserts, cereals, juice and soda.” (iStock)
Sec. Kennedy and CMS administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz announced a similar initiative at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami.
Vani Hari, known as the “Food Babe,” told Fox News Digital that this is the first time leaders in Washington are openly acknowledging that food is medicine.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“The fact that they had to send a memo reminding hospitals of that tells you everything about how broken the system is,” said Hari, who is based in North Carolina. “People are at their most vulnerable in a hospital bed – and for decades, nobody in charge seemed to care what they were eating.”
Medicare and Medicaid fund the majority of inpatient services, including at least half of inpatient days at 96% of hospitals and two-thirds or more at 80% of hospitals, according to the American Hospital Association (AHA).
An AHA spokesperson told Fox News Digital that hospitals recognize that nutritious food is an essential part of healing and recovery. (iStock)
An AHA spokesperson told Fox News Digital that hospitals recognize nutritious food is an essential part of healing and recovery.
“They are deeply committed to providing patients with high‑quality, nutritious meals that meet clinical standards, individual dietary needs and federal guidance,” said the spokesperson.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Hospital teams collaborate with registered dietitians and clinical staff to make sure each patient receives meals tailored to their medical needs and recovery plan, according to the AHA.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
The spokesperson also said the organization regularly evaluates current evidence-based nutrition recommendations and integrates them into meal programs.
“Beyond the hospital walls, we partner with community organizations to expand access to nutritious food, provide education on healthy eating, and support initiatives that promote long‑term wellness,” they added.
Ashley J. DiMella is a lifestyle reporter with Fox News Digital.
Article source: https://www.foxnews.com/health/officials-slam-hospital-food-health-experts-demand-menu-overhaul-farm-gurney