As the battle for health care reform wages on Capitol Hill, two hospitals lead a local effort to protect the health of their patients, employees and communities. Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, and Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ, are restructuring their food offerings toward a more balanced menu for healthier people and a healthier environment.

The Balanced Menus Project, part of a national effort, recognizes that Americans eat 33% more meat than the USDA recommends and more meat than other people in the world, about 200 pounds; 18% of all greenhouse gases are attributed to livestock production, principally beef; and on average, a hospital in the US serves one million meals each year.

The Balanced Menus project challenges hospitals, as large purchasers, to make a reduction in animal protein, especially beef, by creating menus that rely more on vegetables.  Building on the foundation of preventive health, these hospitals are serving as exemplary models of healthier food for patients, visitors and staff, as well as their surrounding urban communities.  By reducing the role of animal protein served in healing institutions, Jefferson and Cooper are supporting a more sustainable food system for the benefit of all.

Current food choices support an industrialized model of food production that has resulted in significant rates of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease in the last 60 years.  By joining the Balanced Menus project, Jefferson and Cooper are also committing to buying and serving more sustainable meats through this initiative.  The goal of the Balanced Menus Challenge is to reduce the purchasing of conventional meats by 20% within the next 12 months. Both hospitals joined a regional effort coordinated by WHEN earlier this year, to serve meatless meals on Earth Day.

“These hospitals (Jefferson and Cooper) have demonstrated their commitment and leadership on sustainable food by being some of the first local signers of the Healthy Food in Health Care Pledge.  Jefferson and Cooper have been working with Women's Health & Environmental Network (WHEN) to institute sustainable food purchasing and practices.  Participating in this Balanced Menus challenge is natural for them to continue building on their efforts and standing out as the leaders they are,” says Dianne Moore, manager of the Healthy Food in Health Care program at WHEN. 

For more information, visit our Sustainable Food page under Programs.