Thanks to a new law promoted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, with sponsors Senator Brad Hoylman and Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a law in December requiring hospitals to list plant-based meal options in all written materials and menus.

Hospitalized patients in NY State, can now choose to avoid unhealthy bacon, cheeseburgers, and meatloaf, etc., as they are nursed back to health, by following the recommendation of the American College of Cardiology in their Planting a Seed: Heart-Healthy Food Recommendations for Hospitals.

Congratulations to the legislators who recognize that hospitals should teach healthy eating habits to in-patients and their families, setting the stage for improved quality of life, and fewer hospital admissions as time goes on. This is compassionate care, and good public policy.

Check out the Physicians Committee’s Healthy Hospital Food webpage which provides plant-based recipes, tips for planning plant-based meals, and case studies of hospitals promoting healthier food options.

Dateline: Latham, Albany County, New York State