Overview

Nourish’s cohorts and Planetary Health community of practice address a pressing global challenge: how to transform institutional food systems to promote both human and planetary health. Rooted in the intersection of health care, climate action, and food systems, our organization brings together key players from across Canada to reimagine hospital food as a lever for systemic change.

The core problem we are addressing is the disconnect between the food served in public institutions and the urgent need for diets that are nutritious, culturally appropriate, and ecologically sustainable. Our ambition is to catalyze a shift toward menus that reflect the principles of planetary health diets, emphasizing whole, plant-forward foods, regional sourcing, and reduced environmental impact, and generate strong benefits for better patient healing and healthier food environments in hospitals.

By creating a collaborative learning space, Nourish fosters innovation, knowledge sharing, and practical experimentation across diverse healthcare settings. Participants in the community of practice co-develop and implement menus, influence procurement practices, and engage with patients and staff to build support for change. The result is not just better meals, but a movement toward food systems that nourish people, communities, and the planet. 

Alignment with the EAT-Lancet Commission 

Our work aligns with the EAT-Lancet Commission’s vision for a planetary health diet—centered on plant-based foods, reduced meat consumption, and sustainable food systems. The Planetary Health Menus initiative supports institutions in shifting toward these goals through menu redesign, procurement changes, and education. Progress is measured using tools like the Coolfood Pledge, which calculates food-related carbon footprints and tracks reductions aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement target of cutting emissions by 25% by 2030. Institutions also report increased plant-forward meal offerings, reduced waste, and strengthened relationships with local suppliers, demonstrating measurable, values-driven change in institutional food environments. There is a double-resonance: by having health care institutions model PHM they are helping to create new social norms around healthy eating that factors in planetary health boundaries. 

Next steps

• Scale nationally (with regional food system-focus reflected in menu redesign and sourcing) by partnering with more health institutions and tailoring Planetary Health Menus to local contexts and food cultures.

• Build capacity through support for food service teams, clinicians, and sustainability leaders to embed planetary health principles in daily practice.

• Institutionalize change by integrating values into procurement policies and aligning with health system sustainability goals.

• Expand collaboration with public health agencies, Indigenous food leaders, researchers, and supply chain partners to ensure equity, cultural relevance, and measurable climate impact. 

For more information contact: Amy Ford at aford@nourishleadership.ca