Providing a complete picture of care, bridging the gap between Science and Service
Our curriculum is unique by pulling together a compilation of leading resources from multiple evidence-based sources like Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Harvard Medical School, the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and the Culinary Institute of America to actively provide the most current, comprehensive, balanced, and actionable curriculum for our hospital food services and dietary team. Supporting rural Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) with evidence-based nutrition resources addresses unique challenges such as limited staffing, budget constraints, and high rates of chronic disease in rural populations. We believe it is vital sharing resources from diverse but aligned organizations for hospital teams because it supports leadership in patient safety, builds professional credibility among the dietary team, and translates complex science into actionable culinary practice through multiple evidence-based perspectives and scopes for a well-rounded approach to learning in action.
Classroom Agendas
Our class time works to pool together the best, most accurate information to support patients safety and clinical accuracy. In a field often driven by trends or pseudoscientific theories, we're working to support an evidence-based nutrition (EBN)) approach relying on scientifically vetted data to help mitigate "dietary myths" while supporting improved outcomes. Clinical evidence demonstrates that implementing evidence-based practices can improve patient compliance, reduce length of hospital stays, and lower readmission rates. Our time together will work to bridge between Science and Service, helping our hospital dietary and foodservice teams create meals that are both health-promoting and flavorful, modeling healthy habits for all. We believe hospitals can lead and serve an educational function; by using resources that model plant-predominant defaults, we're creating a "teachable moment" for patients and staff that can support long-term healthy lifestyle choices.
References
We believe exposure to a range of high-quality materials encourages "elaboration," a learning strategy where staff associate core content with additional knowledge, leading to better long-term retention. Using diverse, practice-based evidence, like the Culinary Institute of America's (CIA) Plant-Forward Kitchen, helps bridge the gap between academic nutrition theory and the daily reality of hospital food and dietary service. Using credible, peer-reviewed sources is establishing our hospital team as an authority, earning greater trust from both patients and other healthcare team members across the health system while continuously and openly crediting sources acknowledges our gratitude to original creators and provides a pathway of shared learning and transparency, allowing others to verify claims and participate in informed conversations. We believe that providing evidence-based information is simply an ethical responsibility; it underpins all that we do. Click here, to see HealthyHospitals references.
HealthyHospitals in the Classroom
ACH Culinary Care Team Class 1 | January 7, 2026
Welcome & Announcements
Benchmark Survey
Facilitated Topics
Diet Related Chronic Diseases | Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM)
Through resources produced by a team of experts at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), we'll learn together from their video, "The New Understanding of Diabetes" how the foods we eat can be powerful for preventing, managing, and even reversing type 2 diabetes. Through this video series by PCRM, we'll learn how simple diet changes can improve blood sugar control and even reduce medication needs.
Notebook Resources | Food Is Medicine: Simple science-backed eating for better health and healing by Harvard Medical School
We'll introduce section 1 of this resource prepared by the editors of Harvard Health Publishing that outlines the general concept of 'food is medicine', beginning with,
- How do nutrients keep us healthy?
- How do foods nourish your body?
- How does food cause—or calm—unhealthy inflammation?
Notebook Resources | Healthy Eating for Type 2 Diabetes: How to eat well, control your weight, and manage your blood sugar by Harvard Medical School
We'll introduce section 1 of this resource prepared by the editors of Harvard Health Publishing. In this report, Healthy Eating for Type 2 Diabetes, we'll learn about the components of a healthy diet for people with diabetes, as well as how to work with a dietitian, how to develop a meal plan, and how to recognize portion distortion, all beginning with first understanding diabetes,
- Who gets diabetes?
- Avoiding diabetes complications
In the Kitchen | The Plant-Forward Kitchen by The Culinary Institute of America
We'll close our time together by watching a brief video developed by the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), within the series, Foundations for the Plant-Forward Kitchen. This CIA series presents next-generation strategies to re-imagine menus and flavor development in the professional kitchen. It builds on the vision and evidence base of Menus of Change, a joint initiative of the CIA and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health—Department of Nutrition. This series introduces the Plant-Forward Kitchen and explains the value of a plant-forward menu. This also includes the fundamental science of cooking, basics of nutrition, foundations of vegetable cookery, and an overview of cooking with grains and legumes.
As hospital dietary and foodservice teams, we have two responsibilities: cook food that is delicious, and cook food that is nutritious. But how do we do both? We begin today with 'Why dietary guidelines are important.'
Closing Q&A
ACH Culinary Care Team Class 2 | January 21, 2026
Welcome & Announcements
Facilitated Topics
Diet Related Chronic Diseases | Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM)
Through resources produced by a team of experts at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), today we'll learn together from their video, " The Role of Foods in Insulin Resistance and Diabetes".
Notebook Resources | Food Is Medicine: Simple science-backed eating for better health and healing by Harvard Medical School
We'll introduce section 1 of this resource prepared by the editors of Harvard Health Publishing that outlines the general concept of 'food is medicine', beginning with,
- How do nutrients keep us healthy?
- How do foods nourish your body?
- How does food cause—or calm—unhealthy inflammation?
Notebook Resources | Healthy Eating for Type 2 Diabetes: How to eat well, control your weight, and manage your blood sugar by Harvard Medical School
We'll introduce section 2 of this resource prepared by the editors of Harvard Health Publishing. In this report, Healthy Eating for Type 2 Diabetes, that includes the first-line treatment of diabetes through weight loss. Section 2 of this resource includes,
- Weight-loss strategies
- Calorie-cutting methods
- Eating away from home
- Exercise: The essential adjunct
- Keeping the weight off
In the Kitchen | The Architecture of Flavor by The Culinary Institute of America
What makes food delicious? In this video, by The Culinary Institute of America’s Plant-Forward Kitchen Training, you’ll find out. Delve into deliciousness by learning how to develop a flavor strategy that guides everything you do in the kitchen, and how your senses and perceptions affect taste and flavor. This video will also introduce you to the flavor wheel, and show you how it can be used to plan, study, and critique a dish’s flavor appeal.
We're Listening! | Your questions about CCHO Liberal Renal orders
You asked, we're listening! Based on your request to uncover more information about CCHO Liberal Renal diet orders, we'll open up resources today in 'what does this mean?' and how these orders are intended to translate into meal plans that provide a fixed amount of carbohydrates for diabetes management while reducing, but not eliminating, the strictest mineral limits typical of a standard renal diet.* We'll also share copies of your approved manual that covers therapeutic diets by DiningRD.
Closing Q&A
*Important Disclaimer: This information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Dietary requirements for patients are highly individualized based on laboratory results, medications, and disease stage. Always follow the specific therapeutic diet manual approved by your facility's medical and dietary staff. Consult with a Registered Dietitian or the attending physician before making any changes to a patient's prescribed meal plan.
PCRM's National Diabetes Program References & Advisory Board
This evidence-based program by PCRM is based on peer-reviewed nutrition research including,
Rahman V, Becker R, Gray S, et al. Feasibility and efficacy of a plant-based nutrition intervention for type 2 diabetes in a primary care setting. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2025;0(0). doi:10.1177/15598276251339396
Von Frankenberg AD, Marina A, Song X, Callahan HS, Kratz M, Utzschneider KM. A high-fat, high-saturated fat diet decreases insulin sensitivity without changing intra-abdominal fat in weight-stable overweight and obese adults. Eur J Nutr. 2017;56(1):431-443. doi:10.1007/s00394-015-1108-6
Campbell TM, Campbell EK, Attia J, et al. The acute effects of a DASH diet and whole food, plant-based diet on insulin requirements and related cardiometabolic markers in individuals with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2023;202:110814. doi:10.1016/j.diabres.2023.110814
Barnard RJ, Lattimore L, Holly RG, Cherny S, Pritikin N. Response of non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients to an intensive program of diet and exercise. Diabetes Care. 1982;5(4):370-374. doi:10.2337/diacare.5.4.370
Barnard RJ, Massey MR, Cherny S, O’Brien LT, Pritikin N. Long-term use of a high-complex-carbohydrate, high-fiber, low-fat diet and exercise in the treatment of NIDDM patients. Diabetes Care. 1983;6(3):268-273. doi:10.2337/diacare.6.3.268
Kahleova H, Petersen KF, Shulman GI, et al. Effect of a low-fat vegan diet on body weight, insulin sensitivity, postprandial metabolism, and intramyocellular and hepatocellular lipid levels in overweight adults: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(11):e2025454. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.25454
Kahleova H, Tura A, Hill M, Holubkov R, Barnard ND. A plant-based dietary intervention improves beta-cell function and insulin resistance in overweight adults: a 16-week randomized clinical trial. Nutrients. 2018;10(2):189. doi:10.3390/nu10020189
Bondonno NP, Davey RJ, Murray K, et al. Associations Between Fruit Intake and Risk of Diabetes in the AusDiab Cohort. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2021;106(10):e4097-e4108. doi:10.1210/clinem/dgab335
Reynolds A, The Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group (DNSG) of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD). Evidence-based European recommendations for the dietary management of diabetes. Diabetologia. 2023;66(6):965-985. doi:10.1007/s00125-023-05894-8
Jardine MA, Kahleova H, Levin SM, Ali Z, Trapp CB, Barnard ND. Perspective: plant-based eating pattern for type 2 diabetes prevention and treatment: efficacy, mechanisms, and practical considerations. Adv Nutr. 2021;12(6):2045-2055. doi:10.1093/advances/nmab063
Kahleova H, Carlsen B, Berrien Lopez R, Barnard ND. Plant-based diets for type 1 diabetes. J Diab Metab. 2020;11:847. doi:10.35248/2155-6156.20.11.847
Viguiliouk E, Kendall CW, Kahleová H, et al. Effect of vegetarian dietary patterns on cardiometabolic risk factors in diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Clin Nutr. 2019;38(3):1133-1145. doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2018.05.032
Kahleova H, Tura A, Klementova M, et al. A plant-based meal stimulates incretin and insulin secretion more than an energy- and macronutrient-matched standard meal in type 2 diabetes: a randomized crossover study. Nutrients. 2019;11(3):486. doi:10.3390/nu11030486
Kahleova H, Klementova M, Herynek V, et al. The effect of a vegetarian vs conventional hypocaloric diabetic diet on thigh adipose tissue distribution in subjects with type 2 diabetes: a randomized study. J Am Coll Nutr. 2018; 36(5):364-369. doi:10.1080/07315724.2017.1302367
Barnard ND, Levin SM, Gloede L, Flores R. Turning the waiting room into a classroom: weekly classes using a vegan or a portion-controlled eating plan improve diabetes control in a randomized translational study. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2018;118(6):1072-1079. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2017.11.017
Kahleova H, Tura A, Hill M, Holubkov R, Barnard ND. A plant-based dietary intervention improves beta-cell function and insulin resistance in overweight adults: a 16-week randomized clinical trial. Nutrients. 2018;10(2):189. doi:10.3390/nu10020189
Bunner AE, Wells CL, Gonzales J, Agarwal U, Bayat E, Barnard ND. A dietary intervention for chronic diabetic neuropathy pain: a randomized controlled pilot study. Nutrition & Diabetes. 2015;5(5):e158. doi:10.1038/nutd.2015.8
Yokoyama Y, Barnard ND, Levin SM, Watanabe M. Vegetarian diets and glycemic control in diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Cardiovasc Diagn Ther. 2014;4(5):373-382. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2223-3652.2014.10.04
Turner-McGrievy GM, Jenkins DJ, Barnard ND, Cohen J, Gloede L, Green AA. Decreases in dietary glycemic index are related to weight loss among individuals following therapeutic diets for type 2 diabetes. J Nutr. 2011; 141(8):1469-1474. doi:10.3945/jn.111.140921
Trapp CB, Barnard ND. Usefulness of vegetarian and vegan diets for treating type 2 diabetes. Curr Diab Rep. 2010; 10(2):152-158. doi:10.1007/s11892-010-0093-7
Trapp C, Barnard N, Katcher H. A plant-based diet for type 2 diabetes: scientific support and practical strategies. Diabetes Educ. 2010; 36(1):33-48. doi:10.1177/0145721709357797
Barnard ND, Gloede L, Cohen J, et al. A low-fat vegan diet elicits greater macronutrient changes, but is comparable in adherence and acceptability, compared with a more conventional diabetes diet among individuals with type 2 diabetes. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109(2):263-272. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2008.10.049
Barnard ND, Katcher HI, Jenkins DJ, Cohen J, Turner-McGrievy G. Vegetarian and vegan diets in type 2 diabetes management. Nutr Rev. 2009;67(5):255-263. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00198.x
Barnard ND, Cohen J, Jenkins DJ, et al. A low-fat vegan diet and a conventional diabetes diet in the treatment of type 2 diabetes: a randomized, controlled, 74-wk clinical trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;89(5):1588S-1596S. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.26736H
Barnard ND, Noble EP, Ritchie T, et al. D2 dopamine receptor Taq1A polymorphism, body weight, and dietary intake in type 2 diabetes. Nutrition. 2009;25(1):58-65. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2008.07.012
Turner-McGrievy GM, Barnard ND, Cohen J, Jenkins DJ, Gloede L, Green AA. Changes in nutrient intake and dietary quality among participants with type 2 diabetes following a low-fat vegan diet or a conventional diabetes diet for 22 weeks. J Am Diet Assoc. 2008;108(10):1636-1645. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2008.07.015
Barnard ND, Cohen J, Jenkins DJ, et al. A low-fat vegan diet improves glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in a randomized clinical trial in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2006;29(8):1777-1783. doi:10.2337/dc06-0606