Healthy Food Environments

The goal of Healthy Food Environments (HFE) is to increase availability, visibility, and affordability of healthy foods and beverages for employees, volunteers, and visitors on hospital campuses throughout North Carolina.

Prior to implementation, a wellness team is formed and formative research and an initial assessment of the food environment are conducted. After an action plan is developed, vendor contracts are modified to meet the new criteria and food service personnel are trained on appropriate portion sizes and healthier food preparation methods. Nutrition information is then posted at the point of selection and an icon is used to identify the healthier items. A pricing strategy is also developed to encourage the purchasing of smaller portions and to decrease the purchasing of sugar sweetened beverages.

The goal of Healthy Food Environments is to increase availability, visibility, and affordability of healthy foods and beverages for employees, volunteers, and visitors on hospital campuses.

All 127 acute care hospitals in North Carolina have established a Healthy Food Environments program; thus, over 200,000 employees across the state have access to affordable and healthy foods at their workplace.

In one location, healthy items that were decreased in price saw an increase in sales, while unhealthy items that were increased in price saw a decrease in sales. For example, the cost of a fried chicken sandwich was increased from $1.95 to $2.50, which resulted in a 49% decrease in sales over one year, while the cost of a grilled chicken sandwich was decreased from $2.25 to $1.75 and sales increased by 51% over one year.