A hospital in Florida has taken a significant step in promoting healthier eating by becoming the first in the United States to sign the ‘Make Hospital Food Healthier’ pledge. Tampa General Hospital CEO, John Couris, signed the pledge on Thursday in a news conference attended by key figures, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, and celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian.

This 1,000-bed facility collaborated with Zakarian last year to redesign its menu according to the ‘food is medicine’ principle. The revised menu now focuses on nutritious options intended to aid in the prevention, management, and treatment of illnesses, as stated in the hospital’s 2025 news release about this partnership.

Kennedy emphasized that hospitals should offer food that supports health, not exacerbate chronic issues. ‘We doubled down on the quality of the food,’ Couris stated, acknowledging a 5% to 7% increase in food purchasing costs due to these changes, which the hospital is willing to absorb.

Following the menu overhaul, the hospital saw a 53% increase in perceived food quality and noticed more patients completing their meals, according to Fox 13 Tampa Bay. Kennedy and Rollins sampled the hospital’s offerings, which included soup, mezze salad, and steak, prepared by the hospital’s culinary team.

The ‘Make Hospital Food Healthier’ initiative, launched by HHS and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, aims to reduce processed ingredients and added sugars in hospital meals. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have mandated that hospitals adhere to the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans to maintain Medicaid and Medicare payments.

Kennedy highlighted Tampa General Hospital’s commitment, with 25% of its food sourced from local farmers, as a model for others. ‘We have a template here at Tampa General,’ Kennedy remarked, encouraging other hospitals to follow suit.