GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — At the Downtown Market in Grand Rapids, Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. on Monday put a spotlight on the food people eat at the hospital.
Kennedy recognized Grand Rapids-based Corewell Health for what he says is a job well done — providing healthy food to the people who walk through its hospital doors.
Watch: Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. praises Grand Rapids' Corewell Health for healthy hospital food push
Kennedy recognized Grand Rapids-based Corewell Health for what he says is a job well done — providing healthy food to the people who walk through its hospital doors.
Among the changes at Corewell are fresh food from local farmers, drinks without added sugar, and sustainably sourced proteins.
"Everybody knows that hospital food is famously, notoriously not good food. It's heavy on sugars, ultra-processed foods, and fried foods that are traditionally not
calculated to make you actually healthier," Kennedy said.
Corewell Health Executive Chef Mick Rickard says the recognition means a lot.
When FOX 17 asked Rickard what the biggest takeaway should be for people watching from home, he pointed to the value of simple, shared meals.
"Make time for the family meal. Take that moment. Know where your food comes from. Visit a farmer's market and enjoy the bounties that our state has to offer," Rickard said. "That's the biggest takeaway. Healthy Whole Foods isn't a new initiative. It's just a program that's been lost, for many families, due to life."
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