Experts Design Week Of Balanced, Plant-Based Meals For Dutch Hospitals

A team of experts has designed a full week of plant-based meals for Dutch hospitals, including plant-based versions of high-protein, popular dishes. The menu template was developed to achieve the 40/60 ratio of animal protein to plant protein by 2030, as required by the Netherlands’ Green Deal on Sustainable Healthcare. The team behind the research included chefs, dietitians, a medical doctor, and other specialists, who carried out a multidisciplinary study between April and December 2025, choosing, cooking, and reviewing forty recipes to create the seven-day menu.

The menus provide 90 – 97 g of protein per day and cost from €10.50 to €12.30, with dishes such as quark bowls, overnight oats, chickpea sandwiches, omelettes, curries, and cakes. Hospitals offering plant-based menus by default have reported high diner satisfaction and reductions in food emissions, with one program in the UK reducing food emissions by 22 percent after making plant-based foods the default option.