Good4You Healthy Eating feature image

Good4You Healthy Eating

Hospitals can participate in this voluntary and self-directed initiative by adopting the Good4You Eat Healthy nutrition criteria throughout the hospital. A step-by-step guide is available for each of the focus areas in the hospital, including cafeterias/cafes, vending machines, meetings/events and outside vendors and franchises.

If your organization is interested in customization, co-branding or use of the Good4You materials for use other than within the hospital, please contact John Palmer, OHA's director of Media and Public Relations at john.palmer@ohiohospitals.org or by phone at 614-221-7614.

Eat Healthy Nutrition Criteria

The Good4You Eat Healthy evidence-based nutrition criteria are based on the American Heart Association's Recommended Standards for Procurement of Food and Beverages Offered in the Workplace and the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity guidelines. 

The goal of this program is to move towards 100% Eat Healthy offerings in each of the four target areas outlined below. Realizing that effectively making changes to beverage choices, vending machines and cafeterias, resources have been provided to offer a step-by-step guide to help hospitals implement these changes in stages.

Additionally, hospitals are encouraged to designate those items that meet the nutrition criteria by marking them with a Good4You sticker or similar designation, and listing nutritional information whenever possible. Labels, table tents, posters and other marketing materials are available to participating hospitals to help market the program to staff, visitors and partners.

Click here for the Good4You Eat Healthy nutrition criteria 

Healthy Cafeteria

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Institute of Medicine have recommended evidence-based approaches for promoting healthy food and beverages across a variety of sectors, including work sites and health care organizations. Such strategies encourage the use of policy, systems and environmental changes to make the default choice the healthy choice.

By increasing the number of items that meet the Good4You Eat Healthy nutrition criteria, and making other changes such as making water available for free and eliminating fried foods, hospitals can offer an environment that supports healthier food and beverage choices.

Healthy Meetings

Studies show a strong correlation between physical activity, social environments of the workplace and health behaviors of employees. An increasing number of hours are being spent at work, especially in the hospital setting where many work extended hours or multiple shifts. In addition, meetings and conferences are generally sedentary - providing healthy food can help increase concentration, productivity and energy levels.

Healthy Partners

Working with outside vendors such as on-site franchise restaurants, food carts and gift shops can be a challenge for many reasons, but as hospitals begin to make changes to other food and beverage services, it's important to consider these venues and how they can help maintain consistency throughout the hospital.

Healthy Vending Machines

Vending machines are a very public-facing food service in many hospitals, and are a great way to reinforce the hospital's commitment to serving healthy and nutritious foods and beverages. Stocking healthier options in vending machines ensures employees and visitors looking to snack throughout the day will find that the healthy choices is the easiest choice. Several recent studies have indicated that healthy snacks in vending machines actually sell better than their unhealthy counterparts. In addition, more vending companies are catering to the increased demand for healthier vending choices.