On Thanksgiving weekend, 900 patients in Saskatoon hospitals celebrated the holiday with a Thanksgiving dinner. Those enjoying the full meal received the classic dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce and a pumpkin tart. It’s one of the (tasty) ways Nutrition and Food Services show our values in action.
“Compassion is the very first of our CARES values,” said Joy Ang, Manager of Food Production Saskatoon for Nutrition and Food Services, “and one of the ways we can show patients compassion at a time when they really need it is to feed them that special meal they might be missing out on at home.”
This year, the meal came with a special ingredient: sage grown in an aeroponic garden on the roof of Royal University Hospital, used in the stuffing. The garden, now in its second year, expanded in 2025, producing over 750 pounds of locally harvested produce like lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cilantro, mint and sage for hospital meals.
“The rooftop produce is a great, sustainable, addition to our pantry,” said Ang. “In fact, we harvested enough sage that we will use it in the stuffing for the Christmas dinners as well.”
No matter the occasion, the Nutrition and Food Services team is living the CARES values, filling hearts and bellies at the same time.
Sage and other herbs growing on the RUH rooftop garden and the Thanksgiving meal prepared for patients in Saskatoon hospitals