Hospital food for both staff and patients has become healthier in a portion of New York’s Hudson Valley.
Dutchess-County based Health Quest has launched a program to promote healthier eating within its three hospitals: Northern Dutchess Hospital in Rhinebeck, Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, and Putnam Hospital Center in Carmel. Health Quest recently switched to antibiotic-free and hormone-free turkey and chicken and has expanded salad bar selections and vegetarian choices. Plus, as part of a broader farm-to-table movement in the Hudson Valley, Health Quest now incorporates foods from local farmers year round and has graduates of the Culinary Institute of America on staff. This comes on the heels of an announcement of an expanded partnership with Guiding Stars, a nutrition guidance program from Hannaford that rates nutritional value of every food item. The partnership has been expanded to Vassar Brothers Medical Center and Northern Dutchess Hospital. Putnam Hospital Center launched the program earlier this year.