Make Hospital Food Healthier Pledge

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The United States spends approximately $5 trillion per year on health care, with ninety percent of those expenditures on patients with chronic disease. Hospitals play a central role not only in treating illness, but in shaping the conditions that support recovery, long-term health, and management of chronic diseases.

Recent federal guidance reinforces the expectation that hospitals provide care in a manner that promotes patient well-being, safety, and quality outcomes, including through nutrition. As evidence continues to link dietary patterns with recovery rates, chronic disease management, and overall health outcomes, it is increasingly supported that nutritious food is core to care.

This pledge reflects a commitment to review the latest nutrition science and align hospital food services with recognized dietary practices. By considering recommendations such as avoiding highly processed foods, limiting sugar-sweetened beverages, significantly reducing refined carbohydrates, and prioritizing fiber-rich whole grains, hospitals may improve patient outcomes, reduce complications, and support healthier communities beyond discharge.

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Make Hospital Food Healthier Pledge

As consistent with the Medicare Conditions of Participation, we pledge to align our patient food services with the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. As part of this pledge, we will work to ensure our inpatient meals meet individual nutritional needs and support healing, recovery, and long-term health. As clinically appropriate and feasible, this pledge includes a commitment to evaluate and update current inpatient menus to:

1. Limit ultra-processed foods. 
2. Limit sugar-sweetened beverages. 
3. Emphasize whole grains over refined grains.
4. Prioritize minimally processed proteins, including plant-based options. 
5. Emphasize vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, seafood, and healthy fats. 
6. Use baked, broiled, roasted, stir-fried, or grilled preparation methods; eliminate deep frying. 
7. Limit processed meats and foods high in added sugars, sodium, and artificial additives. 
8. Ensure meals limit added sugar.

We will champion food as a critical component of healing by creating accessible, high-quality, and affordable food environments in the hospital setting. We commit to advancing evidence-based nutrition practices across our facilities to better steward healthcare resources and reduce the burden of chronic disease. Beyond inpatient care, we will support long-term wellness by providing accessible nutrition resources and education as part of discharge planning to help patients sustain healthy habits.

We commit to making nutrition central to care delivery, accelerating recovery and building a healthier America.