Balanced Menus Challenge

• Balanced Menus: A Sustainable Approach
• Balanced Menus Challenge
• Registered Dietitian Outreach
• Recipes
• Case Studies
• Marketing Materials

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The Balanced Menus Challenge is a voluntary commitment by a healthcare institution to reduce their meat procurement by at least 20% within a 12-month period.

To participate, complete the online Balanced Menus Challenge form or download the Balanced Menus Challenge brochure, and sign and return the form to Health Care Without Harm.

Balanced Menus is a climate change mitigation strategy that helps hospitals serve the healthiest food, benefit ecological health, and reduce costs.

The Challenge aims to help hospitals improve the health of its patrons as well as mitigate the cost of purchasing sustainably raised meat by reducing the amount of conventional animal proteins served. Across the country, and the globe, the healthcare community is doing its part to reduce it its carbon footprint. Healthcare food service can lead this effort.

The Challenge: Frequently Asked Questions

How do I "take the Challenge"?

Complete the online Challenge form or download the Balanced Menus Challenge brochure, and sign and return the form to Health Care Without Harm. We ask that you designate a contact person within your organization to whom we may direct follow-up materials and correspondence.

What does taking the "Challenge" mean?

By taking the challenge you are joining a set of leading facilities that recognize the opportunity to improve the health of their customers (employees, patients and visitors) and the health of the environment by reducing meat and poultry on their menus. As a Challenge taker we will recognize your commitment on our website and provide resources and tools to support this change at your institution.

How do I make the case for this transition to hospital staff and administrators?

There are many reputable researchers, organizations and governmental agencies that acknowledge the importance of reducing meat consumption for positive health benefit and greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Utilize these statements and articles to support your transition proposal to hospital staff and administrators.

What about measurement and benchmarking of our progress?

We provide tools to support you in measuring your procurement baseline, climate impact baseline, setting benchmark goals, and measuring results. We also provide technical assistance on how to implement Balanced Menus strategies. To access and use these easy-to-use spreadsheets, contact the Health Care Without Harm organizer in your region.

Do we need to report results? What if we don't make our goals?

There is movement in movement. This program is self directed and self evaluated, so we encourage you to set goals and strive to achieve them — as well as celebrate and learn from your accomplishments. This program also aligns with the Green Guide for Health Care (GGHC) Food Credits.

How can I learn from others that have taken the "Balanced Menu Challenge"?

• Facilities that have taken the Challenge are listed to facilitate dialogue and support (see box above right).
• Contact us to join our Healthy Food in Health Care listserv, where you can post questions, resources and experiences with your peers across the country
• Regional leadership groups, offering a more local peer resource network, may be available in your area. Contact us for more information
• Watch for educational opportunities that support Balanced Menus implementation on the listserv and the Healthy Food in Health Care website
• We are also developing case studies of hospitals implementing these changes

What tools are available to help explain the project and train food service staff?

Involvement of staff from across the food service — including managers, purchasers, chefs, cooks and food preparation staff — is key to successful implementation. Download the Balanced Menus brochure for more information.

What tools are available to help explain the project to our patients and customers?

Communicating the Balanced Menus program, and your facility's commitment to it, is important to gaining customer support as well as extending the impact to their food choices outside of your facility. Outreach materials to support your implementation of the Challenge will ultimately include table tents, tray bookmarks, brochures, etc. Please contact a Regional Organizer for more assistance with materials.

How do I identify recipes to support menu changes?

Visit our Recipe Database to find recipes that meet nutritional and sustainability criteria. The database is full of tested and tasty dishes that feature whole, seasonal foods and low in or contain no meat. This database will grow over time.

Can plant-based diets provide adequate protein?

Research shows that Americans consume on average more protein than is needed or is healthy. Additionally, meeting protein needs through plant-based proteins in vegetarian, vegan (diets totally void of any animal products) or omnivorous diets, is easily achieved. The American Dietetic Association has a formal statement declaring that vegetarian and vegan diets, when well planned, can support health throughout the lifecycle. Check out these resources on plant-based diets for more information and ideas for your program.

Can a sustainable seafood, such as fish or bivalves, be substituted for meat and poultry products?

As with land-based "meat", seafood resources face significant challenges to sustainability. Issues include where and how the seafood is harvested or farmed, as well as the potential exposure to toxic pollution in many species (mercury, PCBs, dioxin and BFRs). Because of these environmental and health issues, we encourage hospitals to look for non-animal proteins to replace the reduction in "meat". That said, there are sustainable options in seafood and there are many great resources for identifying those. Use the resources below to identify sustainable options:

Fact Sheet

• Smart Fish Guide by Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP)

Buying Guides

• Seafood Watch by Monterrey Bay Aquarium. Ranks sustainability of fish species for consumption in regional markets (West Coast, Northeast, Southeast, etc.)
• Seafood Selector by Environmental Defense Fund. Ranks environmental impacts of fishing or fish farming according to species
• Blue Ocean Guide by Blue Ocean Institute. Ocean-friendly seafood guide that integrates sustainable fisheries, MSC certification and health risk (mercury, PCB) information; contains detailed scorecard on each selection

How do I source sustainable meats, poultry and seafood?

Start with your suppliers (GPOs, distributors or purveyors). Many good sources for sustainably produced and harvested products are now available through these traditional food service buying networks. Use these questions to communicate your preferences to your suppliers. In addition, look for local producers with sustainable production methods through local agriculture networks, farmers coops, farmers markets and sustainable food organizations.