by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD
We recently heard from two vegan VRG members who had positive experiences during their hospital stays and who agreed to share their stories.
A VRG member had to spend a night in Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. His meal request was put in as lacto-ovo vegetarian (due to the confusion of everything going on medically speaking); however, the meals served to him were vegan with one item being an exception!
The first dinner meal consisted of Spaghetti Marinara, Steamed Rice, Zucchini Noodles, and a Wheat Dinner Roll. Breakfast the following day contained Oatmeal, Hash brown Potatoes, an English Muffin, a Banana, and the only item that was not vegan was a Greek Yogurt (however, if the meal request had been entered as vegan, perhaps vegan yogurt would have been provided). Finally, lunch consisted of Pasta and Sauce with Steamed Fresh Spinach and Beans, Oven Roasted Potatoes, Mixed Vegetables, and Diced Peaches.
Additionally, the cafeteria at Union Memorial Hospital had a separate station where one could purchase a vegan falafel bowl with many add-in items that were clearly labeled as vegan. They also sold fresh fruit, hummus, guacamole, and more.
Another VRG member spent several days at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, New York. According to the hospital’s website, all patients’ meals are cooked to order by Culinary Institute of America chefs with access to an onsite herb and perennial garden and locally grown, fresh produce.” The patient menu encouraged patients to call the food service to learn more about vegan dining options. They were very helpful in terms of altering menu items to make them vegan and answering questions.
Vegan-friendly breakfast items at Northern Westchester Hospital included avocado toast, tofu scramble, a mango strawberry smoothie, steel-cut oats, assorted breads, fruit, peanut butter, almond butter, roasted vegetable hash, and veggie sausage.
For lunch and dinner, tofu and chickpeas could be added to any salad. There was also a grilled garden vegetable sandwich with hummus and a Baja Veggie Bowl featuring black beans, butternut squash, zucchini, corn, a quinoa and brown rice pilaf, and avocado with seared tofu available as an add-on. A personal pan pizza with lots of vegetables was on the menu and they readily agreed to make it without cheese. Desserts included fruit and several flavors of Italian ice. Almond milk and vanilla soy milk could be ordered with every meal.
The cafeteria had the same grilled garden veggie sandwich as was on the patient menu as well as almond milk yogurt, fruit, and a hearty salad with farro, lettuce, sweet potatoes, pickled red onions, and walnuts.
We are heartened to hear of these positive experiences, while recognizing that not every hospital will be as vegan-friendly as these were. As Camryn Bell, a dietetic intern, wrote in 2020, “much like society, they [hospitals] have come a long way with accommodating and offering vegan options. It is a lot easier to get information on ingredients and being able to have vegan food in the hospital than it was even a few years ago.”
To read more about being vegan in the hospital see: