A belief that food is medicine has many hospitals ditching the spork and working hard to resuscitate public opinion about cafeteria fare, according to an article on the News-Press website.
Lee Memorial Health System, in Fort Myers, Fla., was recently named Innovator of the Year by Food Management Magazine.
Improvements at Lee Memorial were made gradually by developing and promoting lower-calorie, higher-nutrient menus, introducing plant-based foods, using locally grown produce and relocating sugary beverages, the article said.
Part of the Food & Nutrition Services department’s success can be attributed to the creativity in finding ways to inspire healthier choices, the article said. Most recently, throughout Vegetarian Awareness Month, the culinary team created special weekly features to encourage experimentation with meatless recipes.