Washington Health Celebrates National Nutrition Month

From a crunchy Mexican torta, to spicy Indian tikka masala, to a crisp green salad with tuna on the side, you’ll find a diverse and healthy menu at Washington Health’s patient meal program and cafeteria.

Each month, the Food and Nutrition Services Team plans menus that are not only delicious, but encourage healing. Sometimes, that can be the comfort of a simple grilled cheese sandwich.

“Understanding the importance of the meals we serve, we’re continuously revitalizing our menus to make sure we’re considering all the cultures in our community, along with the patients we serve and their families and guests,” says registered dietitian Matthew Sciamanna, director of Food and Nutrition Services.

In March, Sciamanna’s team of approximately 60, is raising awareness for National Nutrition Month, an observance of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) to promote balanced and healthful eating. To celebrate, the team is planning to add additional cultural food offerings along with education about the recipe in March.

With the theme of “The Power of Food,” the AND encourages people to eat a well-balanced diet from the five food groups – protein sources, fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy or alternatives. “We all may eat differently, but we’re united in our commitment to healthy eating and maintaining a health-focused life,” according to Sciamanna.

Keep a Balanced Diet

“We encourage people to make choices based on the largest portion of your meal being vegetables and fruits. Then build around that with healthy protein and carbohydrate choices, such as fish and whole grains.”

His team also encourages people, when possible, to avoid prepackaged and fast-food options, which typically aren’t the healthiest choice, and to make more meals from whole foods. “The best way to cook is to keep ingredients as close as possible to the original food,” Sciamanna advises. Adding creams, salts, and of course, sugar, detracts from the health impact of the selection.

Sciamanna’s team prepares upwards of 700 meals a day for Washington Health’s patients, employees, and visitors. Maintaining focus on food preparation technique is among the reasons the hospital’s Press Ganey scores are consistently high on food satisfaction. “The reason our food is highly regarded is that the majority is made from scratch,” he says. “We hand develop recipes by Executive Chef Alfredo Macias, and our offerings are as close to the original food component as possible.”

Eating this way supports good health and reduces risk for conditions such as diabetes, heart and kidney problems, and some cancers — all of which nutrition can play a key role.

“We know that a balanced structured diet, containing a plethora of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, and calcium-containing foods can help maintain a healthy life. A lot of diseases that we see in U.S. health care are noncommunicable and are connected to dietary habits,” Sciamanna adds.

The American food system is geared to high sugar and salt content. “That’s the unfortunate part. Consumers must make sure to use the tools provided by AND, to remain informed and maintain a healthy lifestyle,” Sciamanna explains.

Helping Feed the Community

Not only is Washington Health committed to providing well-balanced and tasty meals, it’s also helping address food insecurity in the community. Three times a week, the hospital donates surplus food to Daily Bowl, a group that prevents waste by distributing meals to those in need in the community.

Last year, Food and Nutrition Services donated approximately 8,000 – 10,000 pounds of recovered food. The team repackages extra items like sandwiches, protein foods, white rice, mixed vegetables and many other entrees that would have been placed into compost. In this way, Washington Health is doing its part for sustainability, by preventing food waste from being discarded, but rather, making its way back to our community.

“We’re essentially doing our small part to reduce waste while showing our community that we genuinely care about them, and their need for fresh and safe food options,” shares Sciamanna. Washington Health also sources food locally from area farmers and food distributors to support the community.