The rooftop garden at University of Vermont Medical Center contains blueberry bushes not only for the purpose of providing berries to the hospital’s dining program, but to offer a home to local birds and insects. The garden also houses beehives, a plum grove and a dedicated children’s area where kids can learn about organic gardening. Food waste from the hospital’s eateries is brought to a nearby nonprofit, which in turn provides soil for the garden, creating more of a closed loop system.
The hospital, an early adopter of Health Care Without Harm’s Healthy Food in Health Care Pledge, also seeks to be an example—it created the Center for Nutrition and Healthy Food Systems to help other healthcare institutions enact more sustainable practices in their dining programs. In addition, it shines a major spotlight on local sourcing and is a member of the Vermont Fresh Network, a group that seeks to support the state’s food system through local purchasing and more.
University of Vermont Medical Center serves no fried food on campus, and many of its recent plant-based offerings boast bold flavors, including a Curried Butternut Squash Bisque and a Maple-Roasted Tofu Wrap with kale slaw featuring carrots, jalapenos and dried cranberries.