Large portions of baked products will be coming off the menu at Hutt Hospital’s cafés this month, joining deep fried food and large sized sugary drinks which are already menu choices of the past.
Hutt Valley DHB is working steadily towards the final phase of meeting its healthy food and beverage guidelines for food and cold drinks sold at its cafés and vending machines. Designed to support both staff and visitors’ health and well-being, the guidelines are a way to set a good example and support people in making healthy food choices in the face of growing obesity levels across the country.
The coming weeks at the hospital’s Hub Cafeteria, Café Stat and coffee cart, will see a down-sizing of portions for baked products such as muffins, cakes, biscuits, scones, pastry-based food, slices and desserts.
There will be a greater use of healthier ingredients in the baked products, such as fruit, oats, and unsaturated fats. Water and milk are the main offerings on sale in the cafés and in vending machines. Smaller sized flavoured milks, and fruit juice with no added sugar, will still be available. You can still buy hot beverages like coffee and tea.
“Staff and visitors realise that DHBs are the main health care providers in our regions,” explains Peter Gush, Service Manager for Regional Public Health. “As such, we have a responsibility to lead by example and encourage and support healthy lifestyle choices, especially eating habits, for the communities we serve.
“This goes beyond encouraging people to make healthy choices in their day-to-day lives. It’s about making it easy for everyone – staff, patients and visitors – to do so while on our premises.”
He says patients who have been admitted to hospital will still have meals made to meet their specific health needs to help them recover. Staff, visitors and patients are still able to bring in their own food or drink for lunches, snacks and gifts.The healthy food and beverage guidelines are also rolling out across Capital & Coast, and Wairarapa DHBs and are in keeping with the Ministry of Health Food and Nutrition guidelines.
