Fairview Lakes Medical Center adopts Hospital Healthier Food Initiative guidelines
In support of its mission to improve the health of the communities we serve, Fairview has endorsed its commitment to making changes to the food and beverage environment. Specifically, all Fairview hospitals, including Fairview Lakes Medical Center, will be participating in the Hospital Healthier Food Initiative, which is an initiative of the Partnership for a Healthier America, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization led by some of the nation’s most respected health advocates. Although some rural Minnesota hospitals have committed to the Hospital Healthier Food initiative, Fairview is the first health system solely based in Minnesota to participate. All Fairview hospitals will implement the Hospital Healthier Food Initiative guidelines in a phased manner beginning in November 2014. These guidelines focus on the following areas for their hospital cafeterias and patient menus:
Beverage Commitments
· Increasing the percentage of “better-for-you” beverages to 80 percent of overall Fairview beverage purchases (e.g., water, milk, non-caloric beverages) for sale in the cafeterias
· Making tap water or access to water stations available wherever possible
Food Commitments
· Providing calorie counts for all food and beverages in our hospital cafeterias
· Creating “wellness meals” for our hospital cafeterias and patient menus that meet defined nutritional profiles and pricing those meals equal to or less than the cost of other meal options
· Removing all deep-fat fryers and deep-fried products from our cafeterias and patient menus
· Displaying only healthier food and beverage options in marketing materials and pictorials in our hospital cafeterias (e.g., point-of-purchase posters) and menus
· Meeting defined nutritional standards for 60 percent of entrees and side dishes served in our hospital cafeterias
· Increasing fruits and vegetables to 10 percent of Fairview’s total cafeteria food spending
