New Initiative for Healthy Hospital Food
On March 16 and 17, 2026, more than 100 experts from science, culinary practice, management, and industry gathered at the Universitymedicine Essen for the 1st Future Forum on Healthy Hospital Food. The event is part of a joint initiative led by the Center for Integrative Medicine and Planetary Health, Charité – University Medicine Berlin, and the Physicians Association for Nutrition, among others. The forum was opened by Prof. Dr. Angelika Eggert, Prof. Dr. Gustav Dobos, Prof. Dr. Georg Seifert, and Juliane Kaufmann with a clear message: solutions for healthier, more sustainable, and economically viable hospital nutrition already exist – what is still lacking is the know-how for practical implementation.
Through international keynote presentations, best-practice examples, and workshops – covering topics such as sustainable menu planning, personalized nutrition, and scientific outcome measurement – it became clear what is needed to drive change: beyond expertise, successful implementation requires strong interdisciplinary collaboration, improved communication, and supportive structural frameworks.
This is where the Initiative for Healthy Hospital Food comes in. As a platform, it connects stakeholders from practice and research, consolidates existing knowledge, and helps accelerate the implementation of concrete solutions. Hospitals and organizations interested in joining are invited to participate, contribute, and actively shape the transformation of hospital nutrition.