Promoting Fresh and Local Meals in Healthcare

We would like to introduce you to the Burlodge Bee, the messenger for our Refresh initiative. This busy little bee is symbolic to us, and what we, at Burlodge, are trying to achieve. The symbolism for this little bee is far reaching, from the local procurement that we are helping you achieve in your facility (a bee is the true definition of a locavore!) and bees create symbiotic relationships with all they come in contact with, giving and taking in a reciprocal relationship. This symbolism is a great way to imagine the impact that you will have on your local economy, the impact on local farmers having a “close-to-home” market in which they can sell their goods and how this movement can spread into the personal lives of your patients, inspired by what you have done for them.

Your department is much like a garden, needing to be tended and cared for, built up piece by piece. The Burlodge Bee can help you achieve the integration of local fresh food even in already established departments and work flow arrangements. This local fresh idea will flourish within your team, reinvigorating your staff, giving them a sense of ownership over the new changes that are taking place as you Refresh your menu, reminding them that all of the decisions they make, from plating techniques to meal delivery impact the patient experience. They are a vital part of the hive and integrating new recipes will be a welcome opportunity to come together as a team for the benefit of your patients. Recipe testing, recipe creation contests, staff menu suggestions or allowing them to deliver one of the newly prepared meals to a patient, are ways to allow them to feel the buzz of this initiative which will give it roots and wings, allowing for infinite possibilities within your facility.

Although bees are very active creatures and work hard, focused on their goal of caring for the hive, they never work to the point of exhaustion. Our Refresh program offers you tools and solutions for engaging in a local fresh procurement initiative to infuse your menu with new life and we will help you take the steps necessary to begin your journey without feeling overwhelmed. Every decision you make from the apples you offer a patient right through to their entrée, impacts not only their wellbeing but the engagement level of your staff and the well being of your community. Feel inspired knowing you are part of a larger movement within your industry and know there are more bees buzzing around making changes like you are considering. We need to see ourselves as part of a larger network improving the patient experience together rather than tackling change alone. Your engagement in Refreshing your menu with local fresh food will allow other facilities to follow suit and the philosophy of the Burlodge Bee will spread, pollinating ideas and individuals across all facilities until a garden of possibilities and actions begins to blossom. Watch a quick video on our Refresh Workshop above.

If  you’re interested in participating in a Refresh Workshop please contact Nicole Evans at 905-790-1881 ext. 295. Visit BurlodgeRefresh.com for more information.