If hospitals are supposed to help you get well, then they ought to be doing this in every single way possible. From making the surroundings warm and welcoming to providing you nutritious, wholesome, and homely meals so you can get your strength back as fast as possible. Unfortunately, you Pandas and I all know that this isn't the case. Hospital food is absolutely horrid in a huge number of hospitals. And, frankly, we deserve better.
We wanted to show you just how bad hospital food can get all over the world, so our hard-working team at Bored Panda compiled this list that's bound to make you angry like professional chef Gordon Ramsay. Remember to upvote the best of the worst photos and let us know what the food was like during your most recent stay at the hospital.
The reason why hospital food is so bad and so banal it hurts is because of money. Or rather, the lack of it. And let's not forget the fact that often hospitals don't even make the food that they serve to patients and the staff members themselves; they outsource it. As you're about to find out, there are quite a few things that look as lonely on a plate as two tiny sausages with some parsley.
I wanted an insider's perspective, so I reached out to Holly D., a labor and delivery nurse. She told Bored Panda that she's experienced hospital as a patient as well and was very let down by it. "I have been in a patient role in the not-so-distant past and have experienced the dreaded hospital food tray. This often leads the patient to request family members to drop off alternate food to them at the hospital. For me, it was disappointing, to say the least, after laboring and finally delivering my first child," she said. Have a read through her in-depth insights on how to fix hospital food below, dear Pandas.
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This Is The Meal My Wife’s Hospital Had The Audacity To Serve For Nurses Appreciation Week. I Live In Phoenix
After a year nurse shortages, running out of PPE, working employees to the bone without hazard pay.
What You Get For Breakfast In A Hungarian Hospital
Hospital Administration Told Us They'd Be Treating Us To Dinner During Our Shift. "Dinner" Is One Individual, Frozen, Uncooked Meatloaf Per Person. This Is Georgia
Happy nurse's week, y'all.
"At a prior hospital that I worked for, a newly appointed director questioned every patient during their stay to hear our patients' biggest complaints and/or concerns. The recurring theme was 'bad food.' Once we received this feedback, the idea for an alternate menu for laboring/postpartum women was introduced. I couldn’t help but support this brilliant idea, and helped implement the importance of this change in menu with our mothers," nurse Holly explained that even though the food is bad, some staff members are willing to implement changes after hearing out the complaints.
I was interested to get Holly's take on why some hospitals cut corners with their food when instead it should be something filling and nutritious to help them recover quicker. According to Holly, the importance of meals while at the hospital cannot be understated.
"Food is a large part of people’s lives in every culture. It brings people together and in most instances, it is associated with happiness. For the patient, meals become the highlight of their day, especially if their time with us is extensive. In my experience, diet is one of the areas where the budget is kept to a minimum. Nutrition seems to always be met, but not always in a very creative or appetizing way," she said.
Hospital Food Yummy
It's mashed potatoes, something you'd feed to your bunny (or is it some kind of chicken pellets?), and water I guess?
This Hospital In USA Failed
Hospital Food In Italy
What the heck is that? It looks like something that would put you into the hospital!
In Holly's view, the biggest problem with hospital food is the lackluster presentation. "When you are hospitalized, the last thing you want to be presented with is an unappetizing or highly aromatic meal in front of you. Food styles and/or cuisines should be updated. One alternative would be to offer a modernized menu for patients to select from, including choices like a bento box, flatbreads, and/or rice bowls," she suggested.
"Hospitals could incorporate a system that allowed the patient to select an alternative menu or one that includes 'fun' foods like the menu we implemented for our laboring/postpartum mothers. This would astronomically improve these patient satisfaction scores, thereby making staff members more appreciated.
Unfortunately, these alternate menus are not a standard of practice in most hospitals, and sadly it is one of the first to be taken away when the budget is cut," nurse Holly told Bored Panda that even though there are alternatives to the current low standards, sadly, they're all reliant on financial decisions from up above.
A Hospitals Take On Vegetarian Cuisine. Germany
Can You Identify My Austrian Hospital Food?
A good guess might be "depression", but actually, it was some sort of cow paste (it immediately fell apart, it was basically the consistency of mousse) in paprika sauce, mashed potato, and mushy pea purée.
Dinner In Irish Maternity Hospital
Financially speaking, feeding people well is expensive. And the thinking tends to be, why bother giving someone nutritious, healthy, costly meals when you can get away with a piece of bread and a sad chunk of cheese? After all, a hospital is all about helping you get better, not feeding you.
However, that line of thinking simply doesn't work when you consider the huge importance that food has on our health. In fact, have a think about how you feel when you've been eating fresh food for a while versus how lethargic you feel when you've been consuming plenty of sugar and fast food. The difference is night and day.
"Lasagna" According To Adventist Hospital
Celebratory Steak Dinner Offered By Hospital For Proud Mother And Father
Since We're Posting Our Hospital Meals (UK)
You got all kinds of stuff, to the left and right of your tray.....and even your tray of food would look good, except it looks like somebody dngaf when it was time to put the green stuff on, and just poured what was left on your plate. Thank god you don't have to pay for it, right? But yeah, that's ridiculous
According to ‘Wise Geek,' hospital food is a subset of institutional food which focuses on cutting costs and appealing to the widest number of customers as possible. Though, to be fair, it's tough to imagine how the bland/disgusting food that's served is meant to appeal to anyone.
Is it enough for you to survive in a tight spot? Probably. Is it something that's going to rouse your spirits and give your body the necessary nutrients to get stronger quickly? Doubtful. The secret ingredient might be love, but there's not much of that around!
This Veggie Burger Was Served To Me In The Hospital. 10/10 For Presentation
Hospital Lunch In Romania
My Hospital Food Memories Are Scary. It's Lithuania
For the majority of us, hospital food will only ever be a quirky anecdote to tell our friends. But we forget about the people who stay in hospitals for weeks, months, and even years at a time. Imagine having to eat that swill every day. Food and cooking are important parts of being a human being and a member of your local community and society at large.
I'd actually argue that by feeding people bland, ghastly, and shocking food, you're depriving them of one of the biggest joys of being human. And that can't be good for your health. Physical, emotional, or spiritual.
Yesterday's Hospital Breakfast In Chicago. The Garnish Really Makes It
My First Meal In A Week, At A Hospital For Meningitis, Entertain Me, Please. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Well today, we have chicken a la sweetcorn, with a jus of coagulated grease ..
Vegetarian Meal Sent Up For My Friends Hospital Meal
If nothing else she can beat it to death with that rather solid looking baguette.
Groats With Vomit, From My Stay At A Polish Hospital
I could have taken the exact same picture a week ago in hospitalisation. That’s exactly what it looked like. I mean, you know it’s food because someone diced the ingredients and heated everything up - but other than that I would never tell it’s meant for human nutrition.
The Toasts One Of My Patients Got At The Hospital For Breakfast
Hospital Breakfast
It's baked eggs covered with American cheese.
Chicken Teriyaki Given To Us For Nurses Week By My Hospital
Vegan Hospital Food: Potato
Hospital Dinner In Germany At 16:30
Third Week Of Living On Vegan Hospital Food And I’ve Lost 10 Kg. I Have No Idea What This Is
Hospital Food Looks Like The Opposite Of Food. America The Great US
Pretty sure your meal got mixed up and should have gone to the lab instead
This French Hospital Food Is Getting Worse - Potatoes And What I Think Was A Boiled Cabbage
I think it's endive/chicory. It's an acquired taste, as it's a bit bitter. Well prepared it's quite good, my favorite preparation is first boiled, then seared in a pan with a bit of brown sugar. The sugar breaks the bitterness.Quite common in north of France and Belgium as a winter vegetable, as it is grown inside.
Horrible Vegan Hospital Food, New Mexican Style
My Hospital Roast Dinner
Hospital Cafeteria, Bon Appetit
Cooked Sauerkraut With Uncooked Turkey Fillet In My University Hospital In Germany
My Girlfriend's Grandma Is In The Hospital. This Is Her Dinner. Yes, It Came Labeled That Way
It's Bad
This “Chicken Tikka” My Boyfriend Got Served In Hospital Today. We Are From Wales In Britain
This Hot Dog From The Toronto Hospital For Sick Kids
Nutritious Swedish Hospital Breakfast
Staying At A Hospital In Montreal. No Dietary Restrictions (Injured My Leg). This Was What Was Presented This Morning Along With A Cup Of Coffee
Lunch At The Cardiovascular Surgery Hospital
Bologna and hot dog: the absolute worst processed food you could ever eat. I swear, I think the hospitals and big pharma work together to be sure you'll still need to take plenty of drugs for all your illnesses until the day you croak.
My Breakfast In The Hospital This Morning. I'm Sure It Only Cost Me About $75.00
it says allergies to melon and by the looks of it they were given melon -_-
Vegetarian Dinner Option At The Hospital
Although I’m Grateful My Hospital Is Concerned And Busy With Covid, This Is My Omelet After 48 Hours Of ER/ICU Call
Tasty Full English Breakfast From Raffles Hospital, Singapore
And you can tell they counted those beans in groups of two's and four's...can't have somebody getting an extra bean, now....
Hospital Food Services At Local Hospital In Halifax, Nova Scotia
Looks Like It Was Cooked About 4 Weeks Ago
German Hospital Food
It's mashed potatoes and probably gulash or stew, which has been cooked and refrigerated in portions beforehand, so now it needs to bee heated up and will probably look and taste ok after the heating procedure. Don't see a problem
Side Of Bacon At The Hospital In Florida
Hospital Food In Lithuania
Good Old Hospital Chicken Parmesan
Egyptian Hospital Food
Yogurt, a boiled egg, and toast. A lovely breakfast. I dont see the issue.
My Lovely Vegan Lunch While I Was In Hospital In UK. Dry Potato No Vegan Spread
Friend Sent This To Me - It's From A Hospital Canteen In Ireland
My Breakfast Today In The Hospital. Dry Bread, One Slice Of American Cheese, Bit Of Jam, Sugar And Milk For Instant Coffee. It's Not Prison, Just A Belgian Hospital
In This Hospital In Ontario, When They Say "Fresh Poutine", They Really Mean "Frozen Fries Topped With Demolished Cheese Slices"
Vegan Option From My Hospital Breakfast
Looks Like Its Regurgitated Beef On A Bun And Carrots For Lunch Today
That looks like something Dr Pimple Popper has scraped out of a 45 year old cyst.
2 Buttered Slices Of Bread, Some Kind Of Sweet Bun And Strawberry Jam. Hospital Food Hours. Honestly The Bread Is The Best Part. Southern Poland
This Is What The NHS Call A Turkey Dinner And All The Trimmings For Someone Recovering From Cancer
In The St. Michaels Hospital, Toronto, And They Just Served Dinner
I Present An American Hospital Cheeseburger
Breakfast In Hospital In Serbia
Not bad. Lacks a bit on presentation, but bread, butter, ham/bologna/mystery meat, egg and jam is OK.
Mums In Hospital Over The Weekend With Heart Trouble. She Sent Me A Picture Of Her Lunch. It’s England
Love Me Some Crappy Hospital Food. Germany
Hospital Vegetable Lasagne
Since We’re Sharing Hospital Food, Here Is What We Receive For Breakfast Every Day At A Public Hospital In Rome, Italy
I Knew I Took This Picture For A Reason. Feast Your Eyes On My Hospital Breakfast In America
Big waffle, a hard boiled egg, a box of cereal, half pint of milk, I even see the little butter pats- guarantee there's also syrup and juice-some of these people in other countries are getting a slice of bread....I am American, so I can say it: Some Americans are so spoiled they have no clue.
I'm A Cancer Patient In The Hospital. Instant Mashed Potatoes Mixed Into Chicken Broth
I See Your Walmart Philly, And Raise You A Hospital Cafeteria In Philly
Hospital Omelet
Yummy American Hospital Food. Ketchup And Mustard, Salad With A Side Of Lettuce
I have a feeling the dietitian ordered this for a very good reason
The Hospital Food In Norway Is Fantastic. This Is Dinner. I Thought They Were Joking
Given how much they spend on their humanitarian prison system I believed Norway would do better
Polish Hospital Food
The person, that took the picture, took the bread and butter out of the plate. For the rest, just normal breakfast.
Hospital Food In Lithuania
Yum, Hospital Food
I've Been Nil By Mouth For 48 Hours In UK Hospital Due To Surgery - This Was My First Meal - The "Vegan Option"
A Friend's Pregnant Wife Has Been Taken To Hospital In Torun, Poland. This Is What She Got For Dinner And Breakfast
My Mom Was Vegan And This Is What They Brought Her
Hong Kong Hospital Food. The Same 4 Meals On Repeat For 3 Weeks
QLD Hospital Food. Or Mr Hanky
This Is Called A Fancy Dinner Here In Lithuanian Hospital
Hospital Food. Note The Garnish
US Hospital Food: Gourmet Baked Potato, Fresh Steamed Baby Carrots, And Fresh Fruit Cup. And Cranberry Juice. And That’s The Description On The Menu
with all the money you guys are paying for healthcare you'd think some of it would get spent on food.
Puerto Rico Hospital Food
This Chicken I Woke Up To In The Hospital. Had Been Sitting For Quite Awhile. Not Like That Could’ve Made It Much Worse
My Fiancée Is In The Hospital In Canada. Hospital Food Sucks
Hospital Food Korea
Is that a whole fish? I don’t know if I could cope with that while feeling poorly in hospital.
Coworker Had A Surgical Procedure Relating To Diverticulosis. This Was His Hospital Food A Couple Days Post-Recovery. American Healthcare
Wow, Looks Like A Healthy Meal
LOL Just chemicals? Well I hate to let y'all know that OXYGEN is also a chemical. Yeah this food is horrid for sure and shouldn't be served in a hospital at all for any reason, but OH NO CHEMICALS is extremely ignorant. EVERYTHING IS A CHEMICAL
Hospital Breakfast In Australia. Day 3 In The Hospital And Only The Third Meal I've Had. They've All Been Jelly And Apple Juice
Which hospital? Here in Melbourne we get to choose 3-4 courses for each meal.
The Food I Got In The Hospital I'm Recovering In. I Don't Even Know What I'm Looking At. Ph And The Bread Is Hard As A Rock
Hospital Breakfast
NHS Hospital Food, Cottage Pie And Beans
Looks good! I won't accept people whining about the NHS, go pay for private healthcare if you don't like it, or petition your local MP to stop the wasted money that goes to management and stupid surgeries
Steak Hawaii I Got At A Hospital In Germany
At least you got a steak, compared to some of this other s**t! Grab your knife and just scrape it off, it's all good
Hospital Food Makes Me Wanna Cry
In Case You Were Wondering If There’s Been A Change In Hospital Food For New Mamas. Nope. Still Unappetizing And Uneaten. Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto
Theys poor mamas should be discharged right after delivery so their lives aren't endangered!
What Kind Of Weird Combo Is That
Hospital Dinner, England
You have been clearly prescribed a soft diet for a very good reason
Hospital Food At Its Best! Just What A New Mother Needs After A Long, Traumatic Delivery. This Is UK
Looks bland, but NHS food normally tastes ok (had a couple of hospital stays), and is meant to feed you, not look like they employ michelin star chefs
Stuck In This UK Hospital All Weekend. This Does Not Make It Any Easier
Girlfriend's Clear Liquid Only "Meal" At The Hospital
Yep, that's about what you get-clear liquid. That's why you didn't get the jello.
Someone Posted Their Japanese Hospital Food. Here Is What I Got In America
Be Very, Very Glad You Are Not Eating Hospital Food. My Mom's "Appetizing" Dinner
Hospital Food From Konstanz, Germany. And I Had To Hobble Down The Hallway And Pick It Up Myself
Vegan Hospital Food
Is This Page Still Accepting Hospital Food?
Third Day At The Hospital And The First Time I Got Served Some "Veggies". Really? And Everyone Wonders Why People Get Sick, Overweight Or Diabetes
Bad Hospital Food. At Least This Had Something Green Thrown On Top
Lasagne And Mashed Potatoes
School lunches on those green trays with sections! I loved that rectangular piece of pizza, mash potatoes, and chocolate pudding....
It looks like every single country on this planet needs to invite whoever cooks in Japanese hospitals to teach them how to make edible food for patients.
i know thats right. and i saw in a vid that after a mom gives birth the hosbital feeds the mother and takes car of the baby for you till you recover
Load More Replies...Wish I had made some pictures of the food I got, to show that hospital food isn’t that bad everywhere.
I agree. I had surgery last year in Belgium. The breakfast was similar to the one showed here and it was veey good. Four slices of bread, cheese and jam and coffee with milk.
Load More Replies...How many of these meals were taken by people on restricted diets? Just curious.
That’s what I’m wondering. Some patients have restrictions on sodium, fat, carbs, or sometimes even protein. The hospital food I had when I lost my baby son was pretty good, but when my mom had her protein and fiber intake restricted, she saw a number of sad naked potatoes.
Load More Replies...It looks like every single country on this planet needs to invite whoever cooks in Japanese hospitals to teach them how to make edible food for patients.
i know thats right. and i saw in a vid that after a mom gives birth the hosbital feeds the mother and takes car of the baby for you till you recover
Load More Replies...Wish I had made some pictures of the food I got, to show that hospital food isn’t that bad everywhere.
I agree. I had surgery last year in Belgium. The breakfast was similar to the one showed here and it was veey good. Four slices of bread, cheese and jam and coffee with milk.
Load More Replies...How many of these meals were taken by people on restricted diets? Just curious.
That’s what I’m wondering. Some patients have restrictions on sodium, fat, carbs, or sometimes even protein. The hospital food I had when I lost my baby son was pretty good, but when my mom had her protein and fiber intake restricted, she saw a number of sad naked potatoes.
Load More Replies...