Inclusive menu brings culture to the plate at TUH this NAIDOC Week

A ‘taste of home’ is being served up for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients at Townsville University Hospital this NAIDOC Week thanks to a collaborative initiative bringing culture to the plate.

The culturally inspired menu features three specially selected dishes – coconut curry chicken, coconut curry fish, and vermicelli chicken.

Townsville Hospital and Health Service food services assistant manager Alec Stevens said inspiration for the menu came during the recent Townsville HHS Health Equity Showcase.

“At the showcase, we had great conversations with community members and First Nations staff,” Alec said.

“It came through loud and clear that these dishes were standouts, so we thought NAIDOC Week would be the perfect opportunity to introduce them to the menu for our patients.”

Senior THHS Dietitian Kate Lovell said the initiative brought together health service staff from food services, dietetics, and the Indigenous Health service division, to co-design a menu that’s both culturally meaningfully and clinically appropriate.

“From the beginning, everyone was on the same page, and it’s that shared version that made it easy to work together and move quickly to bring this to fruition,” she said.

“From a clinical perspective, food is a powerful tool, so if we can make patients feel more at home, it supports their recovery and overall experience.”

THHS Indigenous hospital liaison officer Danielle Seden said the connection between food and culture runs deep for First Nations people.

“Food is an important way of life for us, especially for our mob from remote communities,” she said.

“When patients see something familiar on their plate, it brings a sense of comfort to them during a difficult time.

“The dishes chosen for this menu are meals that show up at every gathering in every household; they’re warm, familiar and make people feel seen.

“This initiative is a small but a meaningful step forward, and food is a great place to start when you want to bring people together.”

The special First Nations dishes will be trialled throughout NAIDOC Week, with feedback helping to shape more inclusive options on the hospital menu in the future.