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The Food and Nutrition Services Department provides meals, special formula services, and clinical nutrition services to hospital inpatients as well as general nutrition counseling to outpatients.

The hospital provides patient meals that meet nutritional needs and appeal to the taste of young people. In addition, food and nutrition services gives the patients special service by using bright tray mats, celebrating holidays, and observing "fun days" with tray favors and games. Specialized formulas are prepared each day to supply the unique nutritional requirements of individuals patients.

Clinical nutrition services include calorie counts, nutrition counseling, formula instructions, and daily screening to identify patients at nutrition risk. The clinical staff includes registered dietitians and diet technicians who work directly with patients and families to develop nutrition plans that meet the medical and cultural needs of the family. Clinical dietitians also act as consultants to the medical staff to provide specialized information on diets and formula preparations.

Services
Inpatient and outpatient assessment, education and follow-up available to patients of Texas Children’s Hospital or by referral.

• Order the Texas Children's edition of the Pediatric Nutrition Reference Guide.

The newly-revised pocket guide, written by pediatric dietitians, includes pediatric nutrition assessment guidelines; pediatric enteral feeding guidelines; comprehensive infant and pediatric formula composition tables; parenteral nutrition guidelines; infant, child and adult vitamin/mineral supplements; and nutrition support guidelines for premature infants.