Manage Abstracts

The goal of the project was to educate the kitchen staff of Whitehorse General Hospital (WGH) on the nutritional and environmental benefits of making homemade bone broth from recycled ingredients in order to help reduce food waste. Furthermore, we drafted a policy and procedure document for future reference.

As part of our management internship, we carried out a project to implement a new local item on the menu. The WGH Foodservice wished to serve its patients a homemade bone broth to replace the existing broth to offer a more nutritious choice and satisfy the needs of First Nations patients. In addition, the bone-based broth will be prepared with more eco-friendly practices with an eye on waste reduction.

Our systematic approach included the following steps: Investigating the nutritional and environmental benefits of bone broth and writing the procedure and the policy in order to guide future implementation and production. The project was set up within the WGH Foodservice.

The broth has been entered into the Foodservice computer system. It is offered to patients on a "Clear Fluid" diet and also in the cafeteria for visitors. The patient reception to the product has ranged from overwhelmingly positive to rather lukewarm due to its lower salt quantity relative to the bouillon it is replacing. Changes in the recipe might occur over time for improvement.

It would be interesting to evaluate the projects impact over time on reducing the amount of organic waste produced. Hospitals across the country should add bone broth to their menus, especially in First Nations areas. This project is significant to the field of dietetic because it offers a more nutritious option to patients, it reduces food waste in foodservices, and it satisfies First Nations cultural needs.