Hospital food has a reputation for being mediocre at best \u2014 bland, highly processed, nutritionally adequate, but not overly enjoyable, and served lukewarm or cold.<\/p>\n
While temperature and flavor may continue to vary from hospital to hospital, Miami-Dade is calling on those institutions to otherwise upgrade their culinary offerings in accordance with federal recommendations.<\/p>\n
Miami-Dade Commissioners approved a resolution<\/a> this week to urge hospitals across the county to improve patient meals by joining a new, state-backed \u201cfarm-to-hospital\u201d initiative focused on sourcing healthier food from local producers.<\/p>\n The measure, sponsored by Commissioner Ren\u00e9 Garc\u00eda, encourages hospitals to participate in an initiative advanced<\/a> by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to increase the use of whole, minimally processed foods in hospital kitchens.<\/p>\n The measure cites growing concerns about diet-related illnesses nationwide and references new federal dietary guidelines<\/a> the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture published Jan. 7.<\/p>\n The updated recommendations call for limiting ultra-processed foods, sugary drinks and refined carbohydrates while emphasizing vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, seafood and whole grains.<\/p>\n Federal health officials estimate that diet-related chronic diseases account for nearly 60% of deaths in the United States, the resolution says, while almost 90% of national healthcare spending<\/a> goes toward treating chronic diseases.<\/p>\n