Hospital food. Two words that strike terror in our tastebuds. But, could it be one of the ways we encourage more people to switch to plant-based foods that are healthier, less damaging to the environment and don’t come from animals on factory farms?
A new report by a British expert says that hospitals and other public sector institutions can be an important part of the food revolution and help transition consumers to a climate-friendly food system. Yes, really.
The report, “Behaviour Change, Public Engagement and Net Zero”, https://www.theccc.org.uk looks at shaping policy and changing consumer behaviour in four main areas: cars, air travel, animal-based food, and heating -- the largest drivers of household consumption footprints in the EU. The recommendations are designed to support the UK government’s goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
“Diet has been neglected by climate policy,” says author Dr. Richard Carmichael, of Imperial College, London. The report cites numerous studies saying that changing food choices is one of the most accessible ways to reduce emissions. And that a shift to a plant-based diet, especially in high per capita meat consuming countries, can reduce diet-related emissions up to 73% and require 70-80% less farmland.
Usefully, this report focuses on how to create change and features a broad range of practical solutions to encourage consumers to reduce their carbon footprints, especially with their food choices.
“While growing demand (for plant-based foods) exists, limited availability is a major bottleneck for change which restricts choice, reinforces traditional diets and discourages shifts in behaviour,” Carmichael says. “Changes will not happen at the pace required unless policy first removes the obstacles to change in markets and consumer choice.”
So, how is hospital food part of the solution? In the UK, 30% of all meals are provided by education, healthcare or other government-funded institutions. For example, British schools serve six million to seven million meals every school day. The report recommends that if these institutions were required to provide one fully plant-based meal per day without special request, it is a key lever to help consumers adopt these foods. In Portugal, this regulation has already been shown to increase the uptake of low carbon foods and help reduce emissions.
“More plant-based options on catering menus greatly increase their sales, especially among meat eaters,” the report says, by making it easier for consumers to try new plant-based foods and providing “flexitarians” with more opportunities to reduce their meat consumption.
Increased availability of “high-quality, attractive and tasty” plant-based menu choices also ripple out to wider social circles, “increasing familiarity, weakening prejudices and make it more socially acceptable.”
The report recommends that public institutions receive financial support to acquire the skills required to produce tasty, nutritious plant-based meals at scale. And that plant-based meats are an effective way for consumers to transition to a lower carbon diet.
Other innovative ideas include allowing restaurant patrons to adjust portions to how hungry they are and pay accordingly. A UK research study shows that this leads to less food waste and lower environmental impacts. The report also recommends more visible nutritional labelling and environmental impact labelling of all foods (a topic for a future story).
A major theme of the report is that while consumers and the food industry are responding to the huge growth in demand for plant-based foods, policy and the public sector are trailing behind. So, while the report also recommends a range of practical measures for individuals, it says that government policy must embrace and support this wave of change too.
So, maybe plant-based burgers will soon be on school and hospital menus, helping lighten our carbon footprints as well as reducing our fear of hospital food!