Home   FAQ   Search   Memberlist   Usergroups    Register   Profile   Log in to check your private messages   Log in

glutenfree.com - Celiac Disease Forums - Forum Index -> Doctors & Dietitians - Experiences

View previous topic :: View next topic
Author	Message
aklap Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 12531 Location: WI, USA	Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:00 pm    Post subject: Gluten out, fresh food in, at St. Joseph hospital's kitchen http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/08/30/1590183/gluten-out-fresh-food-in-at-st.html#disqus_thread St. Joseph Hospital - Bellingham, WA Quote: Rankin-Sunter and other members of the group decided it was time for change, and contacted officials at St. Joseph hospital. The result, after months of meetings, is a new routine that provides more gluten-free options for hungry patients. ~ St. Joseph had already offered meals tweaked for patients' sensitivities, including people on low-salt or heart-healthy diets, or who have diabetes, kidney problems or difficulty swallowing. But expanding the range of gluten-free foods posed the special challenge of preparing meals in a way that avoids gluten-contaminated surfaces and utensils, all in a kitchen space that hasn't kept pace with the hospital's growth, Akins said. It also meant finding new sources of food. "We had to find a vendor to purchase gluten-free English muffins, hamburger buns, bread," Akins said. Before the change kicked in more than a year ago, patients with celiac disease could get a safe meal at St. Joseph, but pickings were slim and often slapdash. "Jell-O might have been a good choice," Rankin-Sunter said. Family members sometimes brought gluten-free meals from home, but that wasn't always possible, and it placed an extra burden on the family, she said. Now, patients have ready access to a three-day menu of gluten-free meals. "We've been thrilled to death," Rankin-Sunter said. "They've done a great job." The shift to gluten-free includes a greater emphasis on fresh foods, which fits a new direction in general for meals at St. Joseph. The hospital recently hired a new company to oversee its food operations, Thomas Cuisine Management, an Idaho firm that emphasizes meals made from scratch. Company clients include Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon, Enumclaw Regional Hospital, and St. Anthony Hospital in Gig Harbor. The shift from processed meals to fresh, whole food is already under way, Akins said, with homemade soups and real mashed potatoes early new additions to the cafeteria menu. Well done members of the Belllingham GIG Group & St. Josephs! http://www.GlutenFreeWay.info/ _________________ Al “We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa
Back to top
Home-Based-Mom Joined: 12 Aug 2008 Posts: 697 Location: California	Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 9:27 am    Post subject: ~ Like Button! ~ _________________ Sandi ~ learning to live in a world obsessed and infested with wheat. DQ2/DQ8 "If it wasn't food 100 years ago, it isn't food now." Mike Huckabee Support Operation Christmas Child
Back to top
pkitty Joined: 28 Jul 2010 Posts: 396	Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 10:48 am    Post subject: Hahaha yes we need a FB fanpage for gluten free news! _________________
Back to top
teacherpat Joined: 02 Aug 2009 Posts: 462 Location: PDX	Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 6:37 am    Post subject: That sure as heck beats having to go on my usual hospital diet of Ensure, Jello and Potato chips
Back to top
Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First

	glutenfree.com - Celiac Disease Forums - Forum Index -> Doctors & Dietitians - Experiences	All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

forums.glutenfree.com is graciously sponsored by: