A hospital in Florida has set a national precedent by pledging to offer healthier food options to its patients. Tampa General Hospital has committed to the ‘Make Hospital Food Healthier’ initiative by signing a pledge to provide minimally processed and nutritious meals.
John Couris, CEO of Tampa General Hospital, signed this pledge during a news conference alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, and renowned chef Geoffrey Zakarian.
Last year, the 1,000-bed hospital teamed up with Zakarian to redesign its menu based on the ‘food is medicine’ philosophy. This revamped menu emphasizes meals rich in nutrients that aid in disease prevention, management, and treatment, a step they announced in a 2025 press release.
‘When you describe something as tasting like hospital food, it’s usually not a great compliment,’ Kennedy remarked during the news event. Hospitals are supposed to promote health but often serve items that exacerbate chronic conditions.
The pledge requires hospitals to reduce the use of processed foods and added sugars, aiming for higher food quality.
According to Couris, working with Zakarian has doubled the quality of their food offerings and led to a slight increase in food costs, manageable through strategic adjustments.
Patient feedback has been encouraging. Food quality seems to have improved by 53%, and more patients are fully consuming their meals, reports Fox 13 Tampa Bay. The culinary team presented a soup, mezze salad, and steak, which were tasted by Kennedy and Rollins during their visit.
Earlier this month, HHS and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services initiated the ‘Make Hospital Food Healthier’ pledge. The goal is to urge hospitals to serve healthier meals, reducing reliance on processed ingredients and added sugars.
As part of their broader effort, hospitals must now adhere to the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans to retain Medicaid and Medicare support.
Kennedy highlighted Tampa General Hospital as a model for sourcing 25% of its food locally and encouraged other hospitals to follow this example.
‘Tampa General’s approach offers a blueprint for others,’ Kennedy stated. ‘Their success demonstrates that healthier food service is achievable.’
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