Lower Hutt enrolled nurse Natasha Gilmour was stoked at the news.
“I am glad the marshmallows are back. They should never have been removed in the first place,” she told Kaitiaki. “Hot chocolates need marshmallows”
Marshmallows and coffee syrups were one of many things rated “red” under Te Whatu Ora’s new food and drink guidelines and whipped off the menu across Aotearoa last month.
Hutt Hospital nursing staff were gutted by the sudden ban — with one mystery worker even starting a campaign to “free the marshmallow”.
‘There are worse things they could be having than a couple of marshmallows.’
Lower Hutt nurse Karen Wiggins said last week she was “absolutely gutted” she could no longer have a marshmallow at the end of a long shift.
“I had a hot chocolate yesterday and wanted to know where my marshmallows were and got told there were no more marshmallows! What’s up with that?”
Hutt nurse Karen Wiggins shared her feelings on the marshmallow ban while giving blood during NZNO strikeslast week.
Te Whatu Ora national director public health service Nick Chamberlain said this week after reviewing its hot drink rules, marshmallows and drink syrups had moved from a red to amber rating — which means they would “soon” be back, and available on request.
“We will continue to monitor feedback and consider what further changes are required as part of operational business-as-usual,” he told Kaitiaki.
‘They just want their marshmallow after a long day’
The move came after Minister of Health Simeon Brown weighed in, tweeting that banning marshmallows in hot chocolates “makes no sense at all” and asking Te Whatu Ora to review its policy.
Te Whatu Ora last month revealed it was planning to do away with a number of foods deemed unhealthy under its new policy — from chocolate and energy drinks to brioche and icing that it considers “too thick”.
Citing health and wellbeing, the new policy rates foods green (available), amber (available in limited quantities) or red (not available).
‘There are worse things’
A Hutt Hospital cafe staffer said the sudden loss of marshmallows had seen a backlash from disappointed customers — about 80 per cent of whom were staff.
“Basically everyone who normally gets marshmallows complains”, said the worker, who asked not to be identified.
“Their argument is they are adults and can make their own decisions, and there are worse things they could be having than a couple of marshmallows,” she said.
“They just want their marshmallow after a long day.”
The person at the heart of the “free the marshmallow” campaign was reluctant to be interviewed, however there had been much support.
The healthy policy is rolling out between now and March 2026.