On Monday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) sent a memo to hospitals requesting they adjust meals with the updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA).

The memo urges hospitals to limit ultra-processed foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, refined grains, processed meats, and foods high in added sugars, sodium, and artificial additives.

Instead, hospital meals should prioritize minimally processed protein, vegetables, fruits, legumes, healthy fats, and whole grains. Some of the recommended meals include grilled salmon with quinoa and roasted vegetables or steel-cut oats with berries and nuts.

This is one of the first concrete steps the administration has taken to implement the updated DGAs, a key priority of the food wing of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. The administration is in the rulemaking process to update nutrition standards for school meals to align with the guidelines, as well.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz announced the memo at a roundtable in Florida. The event was hosted by America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank co-founded by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. The officials also celebrated a commitment from Nicklaus Children’s Hospital to include more farm-to-hospital purchasing and boosting local procurement.

The CMS memo, technically called a Quality and Safety Special Alert, reminds hospitals that they must comply with federal conditions to receive reimbursement for Medicare. This includes ensuring patient meals are nutritious in accordance with recognized dietary practices.