Special Kaua'i Shrimp Lunch to Launch Local Food Program at Hawaii Health Systems Corp (Kauai), Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital and Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital

CHICAGO, Jan. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Upgrades to the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation Kauai Region food and nutrition program focuses on increasing scratch-cooked, local food. The launch of this initiative, which partners with Beyond Green Sustainable Food Partners, kicks off with a celebration Kaua'i Shrimp lunch for patients and hospital staff on Tuesday, January 22nd at Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital and on Wednesday, January 23rd at Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital.

The lunch menu features a variety of shrimp dishes such as sautéed shrimp with butter garlic reduction and fresh parsley, ginger marinated sweet potato tempura shrimp with Ni'oi chili sauce, shrimp cakes with sweet chili aioli, and more. Local side dishes include ulu chips, ulu chowder, taro falafel, and uala luau with poi gravy.

The menu features locally sourced ingredients from Kaua'i Shrimp, Koamo'o Farms, Aloha Aina and Hawai'i Ulu Producers Cooperative.

Besides increasing the use of local food, cafeteria improvements include cost saving measures through operating efficiencies, waste reduction, new menus, use of staff input, and professional development training. The upgraded cafeterias are part of a region wide revamp to align the hospital facilities and services with the complex needs of our modern world.

"We want people to enjoy the food and the experience of eating at the hospital. Hospitals are stressful with significant challenges, and meal time offers an opportunity to bring joy into the day of our patients, residents, visitors, physicians, and staff. Simultaneously, we are committed to growing our local economy and increasing the self-sufficiency of Hawai'i by supporting local farmers," says Lance Segawa, CEO, Hawai'i Health Systems Corporation Kaua'i Region.

Hawaii Health Systems Corporation Kauai Region hired Beyond Green Sustainable Food Partners to lead the food and nutrition teams at both hospitals in reaching their improvement goals. "Our goal is to make local, highly nutritious food available to everyone on a large scale. With 40 years of experience studying operating efficiencies in kitchens, I've learned how to save money and buy better ingredients," says Chef Greg Christian, founder of Beyond Green Sustainable Food Partners.

About Beyond Green Sustainable Food Systems: Beyond Green is a consulting firm committed to developing a healthy, prosperous food system by implementing affordable, sustainable changes in institutional kitchens. We promote scratch-cooked foods, local sourcing, and zero-waste. Our model and services have been developed to provide sustainable food systems for our clients that save time and money, decrease labor costs, reduce ecological footprints, support local vendors and farmers, and promote social responsibility. Our cost effective programs offer customizable and measurable strategies, third party monitoring, and are built to work within and improve upon the existing foodservice system. We are proud to have Beyond Green recognized as a B Corporation and USGBC Education Partner.

SOURCE Beyond Green Partners