Nutrient values and sustainability of omnivorous, vegetarian and vegan choices in a hospital canteen

BACKGROUND: A plant-based diet has a lower environmental impact than an omnivorous diet and, when balanced, may reduce the risk of certain non-communicable diseases. The aim of our work is to evaluate the nutritional profile and sustainability of omnivorous, vegan and vegetarian choices in an Italian hospital canteen. METHODS: We photographed the midday meals of users in the hospital canteen of Palmanova (Italy) for 5 consecutive days in September 2022. We examined the recipes provided by the canteen and divided the meal trays in omnivorous, vegan and vegetarian. For each tray we estimated the carbon and water footprint using the SU-EATABLE LIFE database and the energy and nutrient content using the Italian Food Composition Database for Epidemiological Studies. RESULTS: We analysed 228 trays (167 omnivorous, 7 vegan, 54 vegetarian). Median energy content was higher (p < 0.05) in the omnivorous trays (942 kcal/tray) than the plant-based trays (813 kcal/tray). The omnivorous trays contained more fats (42 %E) and less carbohydrates (36 %E) than the plant-based trays (fats: 35 %E; carbohydrates: 44 %E) (p < 0.05). The carbon and water footprint were higher (p < 0.05) for the omnivorous meals (1202 gCO2eq/tray, and 1370 LH2O/tray) than for the plant-based meals, which had a median value of 687 gCO2eq/tray and 907 LH2O/tray. CONCLUSIONS: Vegan and vegetarian meals were more in line with the Italian dietary reference values and more sustainable than omnivorous meals. Nutrition education is needed to improve the sustainability and quality of workers’ lunches and to ensure an adequate choice of plant-based meals. KEY MESSAGES: • Even if plant-based meals were more sustainable and nutrionally balanced than the omnivorous ones, they were less chosen. • Improving food choices can help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.