New York City public hospitals rollout plant-based meals as default option

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Health + Hospitals (H+H) CEO Dr. Mitchell H. Katz announced that culturally diverse plant-based meals are now the primary dinner options for inpatients at H+H/Lincoln, Metropolitan, and Woodhull Hospitals. The dinner program expands on the health care system’s successful plant-based lunch default program — launched in March of this year — which now boasts a 95 percent satisfaction rate. 

 “When it comes to preventing diet-related chronic disease, there is a growing recognition that it’s not our DNA — it’s our dinner,” said Mayor Adams. “Since January, we have introduced Plant-Powered Fridays into schools, introduced fresh produce into the nation’s only municipal emergency food system, and expanded Plant-Based Lifestyle Medicine Clinics to public hospitals across all five boroughs. Now, we are proud to announce the successful rollout and expansion of default plant-based lunch and dinner options at all H+H sites. This transformative program is already changing lives, empowering patients to take control of their own health and further cementing New York City as a leader in preventive medicine.” 

 “In the event we or a loved one has to be in the hospital, we should know that the food served will be comforting, tasty, and health promoting,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom.  

“As a primary care physician, I speak with all of my patients about the importance of a healthy diet and how it can help fend off or treat chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. “Our new meal program is rooted in evidence for health benefits and environmental sustainability, and expands on the success of our Meatless Mondays Program.” 

H+H plans to offer plant-based dinner options at all hospitals this fall, and, by year’s end, plans to offer plant-based supplements and tube feeds. The system plans to introduce the plant-based menu options to post-acute care facilities by January. 

Image courtesy of thesatimes

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