Food and Nutrition Services Climate Conscious Innovation and Resilience

Mount Sinai Food Services has prioritized the purchase of sustainable service items and food. In 2024, 31 percent of non-food purchases were sustainable, 90 percent of egg purchases were cage-free, and about 60 percent of poultry and seafood purchases were sustainable items. The use of local and seasonal sourcing supports regional agriculture and reduces food miles. Single service ware is now compostable.  

Sustainable Plant-Based Menu

Mount Sinai has committed to the Cool Food Pledge, which entails reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the food we serve by 25 percent by 2030. From 2019 to 2023, as a part of the Cool Food Pledge, we contributed to New York City’s overall reduction in emissions by 29 percent. Food Services has made significant efforts to include more plant-forward and plant-based menu options for patients and staff, which have been well received by employees and patients alike. Purchases of meats such as beef and lamb, which are more carbon-intensive, have decreased steadily over the past few years and have been replaced by poultry, seafood, and plant-based alternatives.

Reducing Food Waste

Mount Sinai has also significantly reduced food waste through improved inventory management, allowing data-driven decisions. Data allows the teams to adjust purchasing and production. Items not used can be upcycled or re-purposed or donated to local organizations. Mount Sinai chefs participate every year in Stop Food Waste Day, when they serve a menu item created without generating any food scraps. This is an educational outreach program to encourage patients and staff to learn more about how they can reduce their own food waste.

To ensure resiliency, each hospital campus maintains a stockpile of non-perishable food and bottled water to be able to feed patients and staff during a climate-related event without immediate replenishment of supplies.