Food and Nutrition
Registered Dietitian: (212) 305-9094
Nutrition Supervisor: (212) 305-4871
When your child is admitted to the hospital, you will receive a welcome booklet, a business card, and the weekly menu from the Nutrition Host on the unit. The booklet contains list of meals and snacks available anytime on request by calling the Nutrition Host directly. For breakfast, lunch and dinner your child can make a selection from a number of choices on our menu. Alternatively, you can call the Nutrition Host ahead of time and request your child's meal choice to be delivered earlier or later. Every afternoon, at 3 pm, the Nutrition Host will bring individual snacks to your child from our special snack cart.
Unless a specialized diet was ordered by your physician, your child can choose meals from our children's menu containing some of children's favorite foods. We can also accommodate special requests the parents may have, including serving children's kosher meals. If your physician orders a special diet, the Registered Dietitian will give you individualized dietary instructions prior to discharge.
There is a weekly coffee hour for parents every Friday from 9:30 am to 11:30 am in the Child Life Center on the 10th Floor. On Wednesdays, from 2:30 pm to 5 pm, a complimentary Afternoon Tea with pastries and sandwiches is held in the Claire Pace Tea Room (Room 1133 South) offering parents some relief from the stresses of caring for a hospitalized child.
If you would like to bring home-cooked meals, please find out if your child has any diet restrictions. As many patients are on very specialized diets, we request you do not offer any food or drinks to any other patients.
Guidelines for storage of food are posted on all refrigerators designated for patient use. Special refrigerators are available for kosher foods.
Parents staying overnight may also opt for guest meal trays available for a small charge. Please ask the person serving your meals for more information regarding this service.
For your convenience, a number of restaurants and cafes are also located within the hospital.
Nutrition Education
A weekly group class, "Nutrition Issues Facing Our Kids Today," is available to all interested parents. These sessions address healthy eating habits, calcium intake and weight control, and are conducted by the registered dietitians. The class meets every Wednesday, 2:30 pm - 3 pm in the 9 Tower Family Lounge.