Fraser Health + Providence Health Care + Provincial Health Services Authority + FeedBC

This team comprises a collaboration between leaders in public healthcare in the province of BC, with a bed count of over 2,500 with the participating hospitals. The food service budget from the two participating hospitals from Fraser Health (Royal Columbian Hospital and Eagle Ridge Hospital), plus all facilities from Providence Health Care and Provincial Health Services Authority, totals more than $27M covering over 2.7M meals annually. 

This team’s project focus includes: 

• Bringing food into healing, by: 

• Improving patient menu offerings to encourage adequate nutrition for healing 

• Educating health care professionals about the importance of food as a lever for patient health 

• Collaborating with Indigenous Leaders, Feed BC, local vendors and distributors

• Integrating “Trauma Informed Care” into menu planning and food delivery processes 

• Improving patient and staff food experience, by: 

• Improving the palatability of food and reducing wastage 

• Incorporating more ethnically relevant and culturally appropriate menu items 

• Leveraging hospital retail food to provide plant-forward menu items

• Introducing ‘just in time’ dining experiences 

• Establishing planetary health menus, by: 

• Incorporating more plant-based menu items

• Developing innovative recipes to include more plant-based and local ingredients 

• Increasing food composting and local food production on-site 

• Educating patients and staff on reducing climate impacts through food and preparation choices

• Advancing sustainable purchasing, by: 

• Sourcing sustainable plant-based menu items through bulk purchasing ○ Developing new supplier relationships 

• Supporting local businesses through value-based procurement practices