31 August 2018
The St Helena Health Directorate will launch ‘Healthy Hospital Food’ from tomorrow Saturday, 1 September 2018.
The main idea of the ‘Healthy Hospital Food’ is that it remains based on cooking fresh popular local dishes with small changes to a few key ingredients or the way they are cooked. This makes the food and drinks healthier.
Hospital Cook, Dianna Chambers, explains:
“The important part about our Healthy Menu is that people won’t notice a big difference. Simple changes like using low fat milk and low fat margarine, and grilling, baking and stewing more than frying all make the food healthier but people still get tasty meals. We take pride in knowing that we are giving people food to help them be healthy.”
Food and drinks brought to patients by their families and visitors is another important part of ‘Healthy Hospital Food’. Under the principle of ‘You don’t have to come empty-handed’, visitors who want to bring patients something will be given information with ideas and suggestions of healthier items to support the person’s recovery and wellbeing.
As the Hospital provides three healthy meals and drinks and afternoon tea for patients, their visitors will be encouraged to bring non-food items and instead bring them items such as a book, magazine or hobby item to occupy the person and help them pass the time in hospital. If visitors want to bring additional food or drinks they will be asked to bring only smaller items from the list of those recommended, which cover a wide range of popular items that are available locally.
The menu and the recommendations on brought-in food and drinks provide practical examples that it is possible and practical to eat, drink and enjoy a wide range of popular items and dishes, using products that are commonly available on-Island, and fit budgets, helping people to make healthier choices.
Chairman of the Public Health Committee, Councillor Derek Thomas, concluded:
“The Public Health Committee is pleased to see the approach taken with the ‘Healthy Hospital Food’, making small changes that are realistic and easy to achieve as well as having a very positive impact on our community’s health. It shows, in a very practical way, the kind of small adjustments our people can make at home. Together we can lessen the number of people with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes.”
Saints Together – Making Smart Food and Sugar Swaps A3
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SHG
31 August 2018