Implementing Healthy and Sustainable Food Practices in a Hospital Cafeteria: A Qualitative Look at Processes, Barriers, and Facilitators of Implementation

Abstract

The health care industry is in the unique position to model healthfulness in food systems. However, there is little available information on the processes that hospitals have used to change food environments. To assess such processes, interviews were conducted with hospital and community members involved in food management and service at a mid-sized Midwestern hospital. Results indicate that incorporating more nutritious and sustainable foods in a hospital is a dynamic process that must capitalize on institutional strengths and minimize barriers. Disseminating information to the community and gaining resources from top-level administrators are challenges that point to future directions for research and practice.