PD155 - DEVELOPMENT OF A PLANT-DERIVED MEAL BLUEPRINT FOR HOSPITALS: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY CO-CREATIVE STUDY

PD155

DEVELOPMENT OF A PLANT-DERIVED MEAL BLUEPRINT FOR HOSPITALS: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY CO-CREATIVE STUDY

M. van Bree^1,2,*, H. Kruizenga², B. Schouten³, M. Soeters¹

¹Endocrinology & Metabolism, Internal Medicine, ²Nutrition and Dietetics, Amsterdam UMC, ³Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Rationale: Hospitals increasingly aim to align patient nutrition with sustainable governmental food policies while maintaining nutritional adequacy and patient acceptance. The limited availability of palatable, high-protein plant-derived meals with a complete amino acid profile hampers implementation. This study developed and evaluated fully plant-derived daily menus for hospitals.

Methods: A multidisciplinary, co-creative study was conducted (April - December 2025) in collaboration with hospital staff and industry partners. Meal development criteria were derived from clinical guidelines and hospital policy and prioritized by this multidisciplinary team. Recipes were iteratively developed and evaluated through cooking and tasting sessions, after which dishes were optimized for nutritional composition, essential amino acid profile, and palatability. Nutritional values were calculated using the Dutch Food Composition Database. Protein quality was estimated using weighted mean digestibility and the aggregated Amino Acid Score across meal protein sources.

Results: 30 recipes were developed and combined into seven daily menus, providing a total daily protein content of 90–97 g/d. Soy, lentils, grains, and nuts were primary protein sources. To increase the amount of protein for breakfast and lunch meals without substantially increasing portion sizes, a pea protein isolate or products such as soy drink were incorporated in some meals. The overall daily menu costs ranged from €10.50 to €12.30.

Conclusion: Fully plant-derived menus can provide adequate protein, while remaining palatable, cost-effective, and feasible for clinical implementation. Nevertheless, trade-offs between protein quantity and quality, taste, cost, and portion size persist. The developed menus offer a blueprint that hospitals can tailor to different animal-to-plant protein ratios, supporting the broader transition toward more sustainable nutrition.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared