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Turning hospital mealtimes on their head
New restaurant-inspired plated meals system launched specifically for high turnaround wards.

Reducing costs and food wastage with a restaurant-style approach to hospital meal times is a concept being pioneered by leading healthcare meals provider, apetito.

At a time when hospitals are under increasing pressure to run a cost-effective catering service that satisfies patient demand for quality, flexibility and choice, a new system - CarteChoix - has been developed that enables the provision of individual complete meals, served on a warm china plate with a cook time of just 5-7 minutes.

Designed to complement multi-portion bulk systems, the new ‘industry first’ solution has been developed in response to research which revealed a gap in the existing food provision for a flexible meal offering across acute settings.

The system has the potential to reduce food wastage on short-stay wards by as much as 30 per cent, making it well suited to Maternity, Admissions and Oncology wards where flexibility of meal provision is vital. CarteChoix means patients do not have to order hours or even days in advance, the meal of their choice can be heated up within minutes on the ward, so it can offer significant labour savings too.

Rosemarie Hoyle, Divisional Manager at apetito Healthcare said: “There’s real truth in the adage that food is the best form of medicine - if patients don’t eat they are unlikely to get better. In our experience, the ability to order closer to mealtimes and to get the food you have ordered, can vastly reduce wastage and enhance rates of recovery. Bulk Meals systems are still an excellent solution for many longer stay patients, however in the acute hospital setting plated meals can offer greater flexibility.

“Appearances matter too. Unlike similar systems on the market, CarteChoix relies on china plates. Not only do these increase the appeal of the food but they have been specifically designed to conduct and distribute heat evenly for optimum cooking results.”

Following preliminary trials, to-date, eight hospitals sites across the UK have introduced the CarteChoix plated meals system, which carries a number of different regeneration options.

Pat Taylor, dietitian for contract caterer Mitie, which has been using the CarteChoix range at St Georges Hospital in Tooting, said: “apetito’s CarteChoix range has increased our flexibility to deliver a responsive meal service that meets the nutritional needs of different patient groups. For example, we have introduced the plated option on the maternity unit, where the patient numbers are very variable and the staff rarely know who is eating until just prior to service.

“The new mums are offered an a la carte menu from which they make their choice just as you would in a restaurant. The meal is then heated at ward level and served within a few minutes on a warmed china plate, offering a restaurant or home-from-home dining experience, making the food even more appetising and reducing waste.”

The CarteChoix range comprises 20 main meals and a selection of hot desserts. All meals meet Health of the Nation Guidelines, Dietitian’s Toolkit and CQC Standards and also cater for a range of special dietary requirements.

The system relies on a unique upside down cooking method and compartmentalised plastic trays which keep the meal components separate until the last moment, ensuring meals are well presented. After removing the meal from the freezer and peeling off the plastic sleeve, a china plate is selected, placed on top of the tray and turned over. An average sized ward of 28 patients can be served in 35 minutes.

For further press information please contact:
Kathryn Martino or Nathalie Porter at The Splash Partnership
T: 01225 348000 E: kathryn.martino@tsplashp.com or nathalie.porter@tsplashp.com