Modelling feasible hospital menu changes to reduce procurement‐related food emissions, costs, and nutritional impacts
Ale Ingabire, Jennifer Utter, Kaitlin Brennan, Sally McCrayAbstract
Aims
To quantify the estimated food‐related carbon costs associated with foods procured by a large urban healthcare organisation and to model the potential impact of three feasible menu modifications on food‐related carbon costs, procurement costs, and selected nutrients.
Methods
An observational modelling study was undertaken using annual food procurement data at a large urban healthcare organisation using a cook‐fresh foodservice model from July 2024 to June 2025. Procured items were classified into food categories using item names, and category weights were entered into the Cool Food calculator to estimate food‐related greenhouse gas emissions and food‐related carbon costs, incorporating land‐use‐related emissions. Three feasible menu modifications involving reduced use of ruminant meat were modelled. Changes in estimated emissions, procurement costs, and meal energy, protein, saturated fat, and iron were compared descriptively with the existing menu.
Results
Total estimated food‐related carbon costs were 17 165 tonnes CO 2 e. Ruminant meats accounted for 62% of total food‐related carbon costs despite representing 9% of total procurement by cost. If all three modelled menu changes were adopted, estimated greenhouse gas emissions would decrease by 7% and food‐related carbon costs by 13%, with a small reduction in procurement cost. Across individual meal modifications, protein decreased by 2–4 g per serve, saturated fat changes ranged from a reduction of 0.7 g to an increase of 1.0 g per serve, and iron decreased by up to 2 mg per serve.
Conclusion
Reducing ruminant meat procurement appears to be a practical strategy for lowering the climate impact of hospital foodservices.