Hospital Food- What's Next?
An interview with two men looking to make a difference.
There are a lot of buzz words in the food industry - but one that bears defining and talking about is certainly what's known as “sustainable food” and how it pertains to food served in institutions. This isn’t a trend for some, it’s a lifestyle choice and many argue, a far healthier way to eat. When it comes to institutional food, tasty, healthy and good-for-you aren’t words you’re likely to hear as descriptions. There are people around North America, such as John Turenne and Jamie Harvie who would like to change this. But first, what, you may be wondering, is sustainable food?
John Turenne describes sustainable food best on his website as:
- Supports producers that are close to home and food that hasn’t traveled long distances. It’s fresh, nutritional and seasonal.
- Invests in people and practices that value and care for the earth, the workers and the food.
- Supports preparing food with the utmost respect for its pureness and freshness and enjoying it in a way that respects the simple act of sharing a meal together.
So with this in mind, let’s hear from these gentlemen in part I of my interview with them, as they describe the state of institutional food (hospital food in particular) today and how, for many, the time is NOW to make changes that include sustainable food choices that nourish the body, not just give it fast, cheap fuel.
Food Trends (FT): Tell us about your position and what you and your organization aim to achieve.
John Turenne: (JT): I’m John Turenne and I own and operate a consulting and technical services company (Sustainable Food Systems, LLC) that helps institutions like hospitals, schools, universities and businesses make better decisions about food and its impact on our environment, our local economy and our social and physical well being. The basis for my organization’s success is the fact that I spent 25 years working in conventional food service as a chef and manager and understand what is driving that business. I then had the opportunity (and subsequent epiphany) to change one such place I was working at (Yale University) from conventional to sustainable.
Jamie Harvie (JH): I coordinate the healthy food in healthcare campaign for Health Care Without Harm. We are hoping to change the way food is produced and distributed so that it is not only nutritionally rich, but also environmentally sustainable and safe and economically sustainable for the workers that grow and produce it.
FT: What's wrong with the food in our hospitals today?
JT: Like most food service, we’ve painted ourselves into a corner by focusing on the wrong issues. Everything has been “bottom line” driven, with very little regard, if any of the deeper impact the food has on all of us and our planet. Highly processed, cheap food, prepared by limited, or unskilled staff has been the common result.
JH: The food in our hospitals is similar to the food we find in many homes, restaurants and hotels. Some is excellent and much is highly processed, nutritionally deplete, overcooked and the processes used to grow the food are having tremendous impacts on public health (a broad term that includes health and safety, ecological integrity, socio-economic health of communities, etc).
FT: Why is this the current situation?
JT: As I’ve mentioned, food has become a secondary concern for us, it’s a means of simply getting fuel into us to keep us going as cheaply as possible. Example: Americans spend on average 10% of our income on food and 18% on healthcare. In Europe those percentages reverse.
JH: Surveys have shown that people do not understand where their food comes from and how it was produced. 50-70% of food purchased by hospitals is served to staff and visitors in cafeterias. Some hospitals have now signed our healthy food in health care pledge and are recognizing that by using their purchasing power, they positively influence the supply chain, and set an example for their patients, staff and local community.
FT: What is the biggest obstacle to change?
JT: Getting the people ultimately responsible for an institution’s operations (I call them the movers & shakers) to realize that there is a way to step back, take stock in the situation, think about the stories behind the food and make a courageous stand to address ‘change’. And getting them to realize it doesn’t have to cost a whole lot more!
JH: People do not know where their food comes from, all the messaging is about personal choice (eat this, don’t eat that, etc…) when as a society we would be better served to think from a systems or ecological perspective. Actually quite similar to tobacco (with some differences) – we didn’t start to make an impact on tobacco by telling people it was bad, we had to change the delivery system.
Join me in the next installment as John and Jamie tell us about how their organizations are working to change "the delivery systems" now in place, who's leading the way and how we can affect change in our own communities.
