Ontario's Halton Healthcare Services (HHS) was recently recognized for its locally-grown foods project, according to an article on the Inside Halton website.
The HHS project added more local food to hospital menus and has led to systemic changes in public sector local food awareness.
Over the past year, with investments from the Greenbelt Fund, HHS participated in several initiatives to enhance staff, patient and customer awareness of both the availability and diversity of local foods in Ontario. This included hosting a number of themed menu days, educational activities and local food expos at its three community hospitals, the article said.
“We believe that making good food choices is an important part of health and wellness. Our hospitals serve more than 325,000 residents in the Halton Region, and being able to provide more fresh and locally-grown food options to our patients and their families while they are in our care helps enhance their hospital experience,” said Elma Hrapovich, HHS director of Clinical Nutrition and Food Services.