I congratulate Kidd for bringing forward a valuable discussion on improving hospital food.1 The entire health care system would benefit if hospitals and other health care institutions provided food that was better able to meet the nutritional needs of those consuming it, staff and patients alike.
However, I am concerned that Kidd uncritically quotes Matt Prentice, the chef responsible for starting a movement to improve hospital food, as follows: “Almost all the fruits and vegetables we use are organic, so yes, that was an increased cost.” Since organic produce is more expensive than regular produce, and there is no evidence that it is any more nutritional, I hope that health care institution food services do not decide to waste precious funds purchasing organic produce. There are many evidence-based, cost-effective ways to improve the nutritional value of food, but buying organic produce is not one of them.