New menu gives kids more choice, comfort and control at mealtimes

‘Having nutritious meals makes us feel good when we’re at our lowest point’

Story by Melanie Veriotes | Photos by Leah Hennel

CALGARY — For children in hospital, something as simple as choosing a favourite meal can make a difficult day a little easier.

Young inpatients at Alberta Children's Hospital (ACH) now have more choice and flexibility at mealtimes with the launch of a new pediatric-focused menu and room service model. Designed specifically for children and youth staying in hospital, this new approach offers more familiar food options and allows patients to order meals closer to when they’re ready to eat.

"Food is an important part of a child's overall hospital experience and can provide comfort, familiarity and a sense of normalcy during a hospital stay," says Michelle Nelson, director, Patient Food Services, Alberta Health Services.

"During the pilot, we saw less food waste and higher patient satisfaction. Since launching the new menu and room service model at Alberta Children's Hospital, we've received tremendous feedback from patients and families who appreciate the increased choice, flexibility and ability to order meals when they're ready to eat."

The expanded menu features smoothies, child-friendly entrées such as grilled cheese and butter chicken, and culturally diverse options like butter chicken. A new app with pictures of menu items helps younger patients easily browse and select meals, displaying only options that meet their dietary needs and restrictions. Parents and caregivers can also order meals remotely for their child when they aren't able to be bedside.

The menu and room service model were shaped by extensive input from patients, families, clinicians, dietitians and Patient Food Services teams. Fourteen-year-old Patient and Family Advisory Council member Audrilyn Gunaratnam said young people wanted food options that reflected a variety of tastes and preferences.

"A lot of us focused less on fast food and more on having nutritious meals that just made us feel good when we were at our lowest point," says Gunaratnam. "We also wanted to see more variety, including things like bento boxes that let kids choose from different foods and flavours." She adds the new ordering system gives patients more independence during what can be a challenging time.

"When you're in hospital, a lot of decisions are being made around you. Being able to order your own meal helps you feel more in control of the situation during a very tumultuous time in your life."

That focus on choice and familiarity was evident during the official launch event, where seven-year-old taste tester Emmanuel enthusiastically sampled menu items.

“I love this,” he said after trying several options. His favourite was the butter chicken.

“It's as good as the one you get in restaurants.” The initiative builds on the success of a pilot project, which saw meal waste decrease by 10 per cent while significantly improving patient satisfaction.

Since the new menu and room service model launched on Oct. 6, patients and families have responded enthusiastically. Ongoing feedback will continue to shape future enhancements to the menu and service model. The initiative is also expected to expand to inpatients at the Stollery Children's Hospital later this year.

A $231,000 contribution from the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation, made possible through donor generosity, helped enhance food service operations, including the purchase of new equipment needed to introduce the new menu and room service model.