Strategies and Case Studies for Championing Plant-Based Solutions in Hospital Foodservice

Presentation Summary: Whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) eating patterns are linked to significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. While evidence supports plant-predominant diets rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes for preventing and managing chronic diseases, hospital menus often contradict these recommendations, centered instead around “comfort foods” of conventional meat and cheese-heavy dishes. The disconnect between traditional hospital menu offerings and current nutritional science highlights the need for systemic changes to align institutional food with current medical knowledge about diet and disease prevention and management. Both the American Medical Association and American College of Cardiology have made recommendations that hospitals across the United States should provide plant-based meals and remove processed meats from menus. Healthcare is one of the most promising avenues for plant-based defaults, with the potential to impact millions of meals, thereby transforming patient health, institutional procurement and societal norms. When hospitals offer whole food, plant-based options, registered dietitians can combine practical nutrition education with actual food experiences, helping patients and families explore plant-based eating before discharge. However, patient uptake of plant-based meals may be low without careful attention to how these meals are presented and described.

In this presentation, nonprofit Greener by Default will share evidence-based behavioral strategies supported by recent case studies piloted at various Kaiser Permanente sites to demonstrate how subtle changes in menu design and meal presentation can positively influence selection without restricting options or compromising meal satisfaction. This approach helps Through practical tools and tactics that minimize operational disruption, Greener By Default's approach ensures smooth adoption by foodservice leaders and staff, and helps hospitals achieve the Quintuple Aim by successfully piloting and implementing menu changes that advance sustainability and health goals while reducing their carbon footprint and reducing food-related costs. In collaboration with Kaiser Permanente, speakers will also share results from recent case studies demonstrating the effectiveness of plant-based defaults in a variety of institutional settings–from patient menus to cafeteria dining–while discussing challenges, successes, and data collection and metrics used for evaluation. Lifestyle medicine practitioners–including physicians, nurses, dietitians, other allied health and food/culinary professionals–play a critical role in championing WFPB solutions within their institutions. As such, attendees will leave the session with a comprehensive toolkit for implementing plant-based menu programs, including strategic approaches for gaining support from decision-makers and stakeholders within their organizations. This topic is important for all lifestyle medicine practitioners as well as healthcare leadership and food/culinary professionals because it offers a practical, inclusive, and impactful approach to reimagining healthcare foodservice, ensuring that nutritious, sustainable meals become the foundation for better health outcomes and a healthier planet.