The Centra health system in Lynchburg, Va., has launched a food truck as part of its food service transformation, according to an article on the News Advance website.
The Code Fresh truck — called the first healthcare provider-supported food truck in the nation — is proof hospitals are moving away from gelatin toward healthy, flavor-filled and locally sourced food, the article said.
“Healthcare food service in general is in the midst of a massive transformation,” Dan Powers, Centra’s nutrition services operations manager, said in the article. About five years ago Centra’s nutrition experts set out to turn the system’s culinary program on its head and adopt a sustainability program.
Centra’s culinary team has teamed with with local producers and decided to compost waste, trade-in polystyrene for washable dishes and price foods according to nutritional values.
The food truck is just the next step in Centra’s effort to walk the walk — while still generating revenue. The truck employs one full-time and one part-time employee and was a fraction of the cost of putting cafes into each of Centra’s outposts, the article said.
The food is the same food prepared and served at Lynchburg General and Virginia Baptist hospitals. Centra employees receive a 30 percent discount.
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