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
I’m starting to think we need to serve this to the CEOs during their board meetings
Those brussel sprouts look boiled... which, I think, is a sin against nature, man and anything else with a stomach.
You can boil them. Just not this long. I suspect this are canned or overcooked sprouts.
Load More Replies...I have been to an Irish Maternity hospital. I can confirm this is on par with what my wife was served :|
What the actual f**k. Who would ever put that near their mouth? I understand if you were seriously starving or if you had a gun pointed to your head though. And who would be able to cook that or put that plate infront of someone, especially someone in need of care. What a disgrace.
It looks like if you took a kitty litter box, some rotten brains and old Brussel sprouts and chucked them into some wet cement.
After looking at the preceding pictures, at least this is a plateful!!
Awwww the luck of the irish we can ID potato and rice and brussell sprouts But not what it is floating in .
Simple. Cauliflower, Rice, Brussel Sprouts, Elongated Tots and Mud Worms in gravy. Too bad they forgot the chocolate sprinkles.
Hate to say it but, British heritage here, that kind of looks like the food I grew up with in New England.
Well, at east there are a couple vegetables in there, along with rice and ...........???? Grey stuff?
The rice that is if it is rice so reminds me of maggots at first look, and the second come to think of it.
I was lucky and happy that the hospital where I delivered my sons had excellent food. After my first, my breakfast was large fresh blueberries in cream, farina cereal, milk and apple juice. Heavenly!
Wow... that's a lot of cruciferous vegetables for maternity patients. Not a good time to get gassy. 😕
That sauce is a mess, and that’s an enormous amount of food… unless it’s a small plate.
Cauliflower, Broccoli, 2 Croutons and Maggots, with a nourishing and tasty greyish-brown Gravy. At least there seems to be plenty of whatever it is.
I can identify Cauliflower, Rice (I hope and Brussel sprouts. too scared to even guess about the mud
This is vile, looks like leftovers from different meals slopped together.
cauliflower, rice, carrot, Brussel sprouts, and whatever the brown ick is
This is the best so far. At least it is balanced, with recognizable vegetables and grains. And it looks filling.
Dont knock it, it took first place on "Chopped" champions!
Load More Replies...My god this is awful. Looks like a bunch of bed pans got emptied on one plate.
I gave birth in Ireland twice, once in the UK and once in Germany. My food in Ireland looked and tasted nice.
That's not too bad, compared with other meals on this list - croquettes, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, rice - fine with me. I am just wondering what this "gravy" might be?!
I would too. But then again I grew up on cooking that could best be described by my dad as "I like my food COOKED!"
Load More Replies...Even I have never been hungry enough to eat that. The pigs on the farm would, but me, no. I wouldn't.
I'm not a picky eater but I won't eat something the same color as my wall under my wallpaper
That looks like something that was scooped out of the pigs trough on the farm 🤢🤢🤢
Why is it grey? You would have to actually try to cook that badly for it to be that color
Cabbages and cauliflower in a maternity ward. And there is onion in the sauce? They know what will happen to little babies' tummies when their mums eat that?
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
This is probably one of the better ones so far... and as a Irish/Romanian mix, my Irish side is screaming far more than my Romanian side, because at least this isn't questionable gray mud.
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...The really sad thing here is that these disgusting meals hint to a much geater, underlying problem: holistic healthcare. If hospitals would center on the patient, they would provide much more than treatments but create environment that foster health. This would include healthy meals. How can there be so much bad meat, so much salt, so much sugar? How can hospitals not follow the baseline advice from nutritionists that for example apply to schools and are yet way too lenient?
Exactly! It doesn't have to be complicated either, things like potatoes, whole grains, vegetables, beans, nuts etc. are not that hard to prepare or source
Load More Replies...In our small hospital in Ontario Canada back in the late sixties we had our own kitchen and staff that prepared meals. Pts got menus to choose what they wanted. Sure the meals were predictable if you were in for a long time. But most of the kitchen staff tried to make the meals presentable . If stuff was sent back to the kitchen uneaten a dietitian visited the pt. Now the food is trucked in heated up in the kitchen slopped on the plates and nobody cares if you eat or not. Its called progress folks.
I've spent a considerable amount of time in a psych ward in Cork, Ireland and the food was out of this world. The chef knew that mealtimes were the highlight of the day for us so really made the effort to make it great. I would have gladly paid for it in a restaurant.
I'm from South Africa on medical aid, I was at a private hospital, we were given menu's the presentation was nice, the food really tasty, and we had desert as well. They even asked how big a portion would you like.
Load More Replies...I wish Pandas could add to this post. My Dad was in an NHS hospital earlier this year and said the best thing was the food. He took photos and given that he is a great cook and loves eating out, his commendation is praise indeed! It all looked superb.
Not excusing some of this junk, but when I was in hospital in Toronto, patients were given menus for all the next day's meals.Sometimes, I'd choose fries, a banana, and milk. It wouldn't make for a great picture or positive comments about hospital meals, but it wad entirely my choice. So maybe somechoices by patients here were 'just rice' or 'hzrd boiled egg and bread.'
Also several hospitals have fridges and pantries for the patients. When I had my last son I went in and there were arrowroot cookies, sandwiches, juices, jello, coffee and tea that the patients could have when they needed a snack.
Load More Replies...Food is not that bad where I live (Southern Ontario, Canada). When I was in the hospital for 3 days they would let me have snacks when I wanted as well.
I was hospitalized this year. Food wasn't that bad, but sometimes repetitive. 🙂
Oof. Glad the times I've been in the hospital in the US the food hasn't been like this. Not great, but at least palatable.
I used to work in an NHS hospital that had a private ward. They had menus to choose which delicious meal you wanted and even had a wine list.
Blimey, et tu, countries with excellent healthcare systems? New Zealand can’t even bloody pay nurses properly, so I shudder to think what our hospital food is like. They offered me lunch when I was doing the 2 hour rest period after my spinal tap and I said no because I knew it wouldn’t be good.
My mother worked in the dietary department of our local hospital for over thirty years. Unlike many others, they don't outsource, and they'd never dream of serving swill like this to patients.
When I drove an ambulance around Palm Springs some decades ago, the lunch room at Eisenhower Medical Center, which treated many Hollywood celebs, was *the* place to go for a midday meal. IOW hospital food in USA can be damn good if it's chasing enough money.
When I had my baby (after 36 hours of active labor, then traumatic c section) the first meal I was served was a single boiled beet, uncut, on a plate. I'm not kidding. The only reason why I didn't throw the tray at the nurse was I was too exhausted to do so. ( they brought me a proper meal after that mistake)
Horrific some of these, hospital here in Miami Mt Sinai had belgian waffles boiled eggs pudding real ginger ale and OJ. Guessing cause it's a private hospital. But food was decent thankfully
Last time I was in hospital, I lived on crackers and bread, which were the only edible foods they served me. Next time, I'm sneaking in a sandwich bag containing packets of salt and pepper and various sauces.
i live in a rural area where our hospital is at least 40 yrs old. was in there for a week and the food was restaurant quality, albeit within 'healthy' guidelines. also, you ordered from a menu. when i was feeling better i ordered a hamburger and it was great but was really surprised that it was a baked burger as it tasted grilled.
Maybe it's because I haven't been to a restaurant in a year and a half, but the vast majority of these look just fine to me.
First, a lot of these meals are unbalanced. You would think a dietician has some influence. It should be tasty and nutricious (not high end). AND look good to eat because when sick you sometimes have trouble eating.
All of this is just a huge conspiracy ! This food prevents healing, so you stay there forever and you keep paying !
My personal theory is that the food will make the patients who can still walk, pack up and leave more quickly, so the understaffed hospital can be rid of them?
Load More Replies...Those pictures were so sad. Most of them said vegan. Were some regular meals better?
number 30 looks like the safest option compared to the vomit that the other hospitals are serving
I was once hospitalized and couldn’t get to eat because the food lack of good appealing. After two days of not eating a social worker showed up, they thought I had an eating disorder (am on the skinny size) after I told her why I wasn’t eating, every day a basket of fruits and pantries was sent to me :-)
Best food I've ever seen in a hospital setting was the meals provided for families and patients and Arkansas Children's Hospital. Their barbeque pork was incredible and the blueberry muffins were the best I've ever had.
I'm so glad I was hospitalised in Sweden. My home town of Västerås (pronounced Westeros,I'm not kidding!) has made an effort to make good, healthy and organic food, which cost less and was composted afterwards. I loved every meal once I was able to eat again, and I got my health back faster, I think! Everything but the brussel sprouts, but I never liked them anyway.
huh. Ive been in hospitals alot i my life and the food i get is always tasty...except the mashed potatos ^^; you can never get mash potatoes right in most places i go to actually except at home
I'm not exactly sure what the heck vegans think a hospital is supposed to whip up for them, if they want something relatively fresh...
My grandma was in the hospital because of an injury (she got better), and the food was ok-decent. it looked and was normal food, but just had this slight tinge of... hospital smell (aka pee)
That's just...sad. I was recently hospitalized following a stroke. It was such a disappointment to go home...the meals were absolutely outstanding. People in that town actually make the hospital's cafeteria a destination for meals, and the same things are served to the patients. I was given an extensive menu, and called my selections in three times a day...whenever I wanted to eat. No set times. They were delivered by a liveried service person. I kinda miss the hospitial...
I don't know! Get your Bacteria from our Cafeteria. That was so disgusting to look at. How could anyone produce something for human consumption that looks remotely so horrible, even to serve such a mess takes guts and a severe lack of respect for a fellow being.
Wow! My hospital food in Appleton, Wisconsin, USA, was actually very good. I was able to order off of a menu.
I posted it above but I wanted to share in the comments. I was in the hospital back in April for COVID. Here is a typical dinner I received. The brown sauce is a mushroom sauce. Sorry for the lighting. hospital-f...3d5744.jpg
I stay four day's in hospital in Tenerife/canaries and the food was great, vegies soup , fresh fish filet with local potato's, and mango mouse as desert with water as drink. This one day menue, the others day were also perfect, great kitchen and services
My daughter went into a private hospital in Cape Town .She is vegan but the staff advised me that they had a full time nutritionist and i shouldnt worry .When her meal came it was....... a tin of Sprite !!!
There are many countries where there is no such thing as hospital food. If you have to stay in a hospital, you need to find a way to get food brought in to you. A friend or family member has to go shopping daily and bring edibles to your room which doesn't have a fridge btw. Just keep this in mind, to keep it all in perspective.
St Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada IMG_202106...c6186b.jpg
“No, I came in with a broken leg. The projectile vomiting started with breakfast.”
I'm just glad I wasn't hospitalized in S Korea while I lived there for three years. LOTS of seaweed soup.
If I had been served some of this slop I would have been throwing it at someone. These presentations diffidently roil the stomach. Great way to diet.
Don’t have a picture but the meals at Basurto hospital in Bilbao a great. Been there accompanying my grandma, mother and husband. Not only look good and smell great, very tasty too.
All of this food is disgusting. It's what I would expect to be served in prisons, not to people who are being charged huge amounts of money (in the US anyway) and should be eating healthy, low-fat meals.
I spent 6 weeks in hospital in Vancouver and have to say that the food was pretty good. My only complaint was if you missed the person who came by to take your choice, their default was egg salad sandwiches. WTF eats egg salad sandwiches? These things are a level of disgusting right below hunny-wagon contents.
Many hospitals struggle financially. Picture-wise, they are going to great lengths to help you out asap:)
At least it’s something every continent has in common - poor nosh in hospital. I would have thought in the USA where you have to pay for everything in a hospital, the food would be 5 star rated. Now I know different.
Same. Given the cost of healthcare in the US, you wouldn't think catering budgets were an issue, I've learnt otherwise too now!
Load More Replies...... how are you supposed to get well again, if it's a lucky day when they serve you a seasoned kitchen sponge and unmolested rice? Seriously, I have seen some of these myself (the mashed potato-resembling concrete with those six ... domes? ... ), and it tasted by no means any better than it looked. Usually, the looks of that Scheißfraß were the best about it.
WTF. French hospital food is known to be "bad" but next to these it's a f**king fancy restaurant.
That's a matter of perspective. I was really glad to be able to eat blank overcooked pasta or rice with nothing else after beeing fed through my veins for a month after a obstruction and a surgery. I was like "yoohoo!best meal ever!" and i'm a pastaddict, i cook really good ones, al dente, but i was still very happy. And i was glad to be able to eat basically anything similar to food but mixed after a broken jaw, wearing arch wires ligatures for 3weeks, only eating proteins shakes with ugly strong artificial flavors.
Load More Replies...Some of these are abominations, but some are people clearly expecting something they would be served at a restaurant. Hospitals are there to offer nutritious food that takes into account the fact you probably aren't exercising so need fewer calories, and as for vegans... you're a tiny minority and terrible for the planet, why should you always get a special menu?
I agree. Some are terrible but others look perfectly fine. People is terribly spoiled.
Load More Replies...We need to round up all the hospital food people globally and lock them in a conference room until they figure this out. Maybe lock them with some airlines, too. Countries like USA have no excuse. Cheap ready made meals are available.
Tip: to increase appetite and reduce recovery time in patients, food should not resemble ANYTHING their body expels or anything that needs to BE expelled.
The hospital its not a place for hight cuisine food :) Its better not to stay too long in a hospital, hence the horrible food, they want you out soon :)))))))))))))))
No one is asking for high cuisine. Just stuff that is recognizable AS food.
Load More Replies...Haha, that's exactly what I thought. It was going to be horrible hospital food from a hospital stay they had abroad. I've had good food at my hospitals with a chef even giving me cheese cake testings during my pregnancy stay.
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...The really sad thing here is that these disgusting meals hint to a much geater, underlying problem: holistic healthcare. If hospitals would center on the patient, they would provide much more than treatments but create environment that foster health. This would include healthy meals. How can there be so much bad meat, so much salt, so much sugar? How can hospitals not follow the baseline advice from nutritionists that for example apply to schools and are yet way too lenient?
Exactly! It doesn't have to be complicated either, things like potatoes, whole grains, vegetables, beans, nuts etc. are not that hard to prepare or source
Load More Replies...In our small hospital in Ontario Canada back in the late sixties we had our own kitchen and staff that prepared meals. Pts got menus to choose what they wanted. Sure the meals were predictable if you were in for a long time. But most of the kitchen staff tried to make the meals presentable . If stuff was sent back to the kitchen uneaten a dietitian visited the pt. Now the food is trucked in heated up in the kitchen slopped on the plates and nobody cares if you eat or not. Its called progress folks.
I've spent a considerable amount of time in a psych ward in Cork, Ireland and the food was out of this world. The chef knew that mealtimes were the highlight of the day for us so really made the effort to make it great. I would have gladly paid for it in a restaurant.
I'm from South Africa on medical aid, I was at a private hospital, we were given menu's the presentation was nice, the food really tasty, and we had desert as well. They even asked how big a portion would you like.
Load More Replies...I wish Pandas could add to this post. My Dad was in an NHS hospital earlier this year and said the best thing was the food. He took photos and given that he is a great cook and loves eating out, his commendation is praise indeed! It all looked superb.
Not excusing some of this junk, but when I was in hospital in Toronto, patients were given menus for all the next day's meals.Sometimes, I'd choose fries, a banana, and milk. It wouldn't make for a great picture or positive comments about hospital meals, but it wad entirely my choice. So maybe somechoices by patients here were 'just rice' or 'hzrd boiled egg and bread.'
Also several hospitals have fridges and pantries for the patients. When I had my last son I went in and there were arrowroot cookies, sandwiches, juices, jello, coffee and tea that the patients could have when they needed a snack.
Load More Replies...Food is not that bad where I live (Southern Ontario, Canada). When I was in the hospital for 3 days they would let me have snacks when I wanted as well.
I was hospitalized this year. Food wasn't that bad, but sometimes repetitive. 🙂
Oof. Glad the times I've been in the hospital in the US the food hasn't been like this. Not great, but at least palatable.
I used to work in an NHS hospital that had a private ward. They had menus to choose which delicious meal you wanted and even had a wine list.
Blimey, et tu, countries with excellent healthcare systems? New Zealand can’t even bloody pay nurses properly, so I shudder to think what our hospital food is like. They offered me lunch when I was doing the 2 hour rest period after my spinal tap and I said no because I knew it wouldn’t be good.
My mother worked in the dietary department of our local hospital for over thirty years. Unlike many others, they don't outsource, and they'd never dream of serving swill like this to patients.
When I drove an ambulance around Palm Springs some decades ago, the lunch room at Eisenhower Medical Center, which treated many Hollywood celebs, was *the* place to go for a midday meal. IOW hospital food in USA can be damn good if it's chasing enough money.
When I had my baby (after 36 hours of active labor, then traumatic c section) the first meal I was served was a single boiled beet, uncut, on a plate. I'm not kidding. The only reason why I didn't throw the tray at the nurse was I was too exhausted to do so. ( they brought me a proper meal after that mistake)
Horrific some of these, hospital here in Miami Mt Sinai had belgian waffles boiled eggs pudding real ginger ale and OJ. Guessing cause it's a private hospital. But food was decent thankfully
Last time I was in hospital, I lived on crackers and bread, which were the only edible foods they served me. Next time, I'm sneaking in a sandwich bag containing packets of salt and pepper and various sauces.
i live in a rural area where our hospital is at least 40 yrs old. was in there for a week and the food was restaurant quality, albeit within 'healthy' guidelines. also, you ordered from a menu. when i was feeling better i ordered a hamburger and it was great but was really surprised that it was a baked burger as it tasted grilled.
Maybe it's because I haven't been to a restaurant in a year and a half, but the vast majority of these look just fine to me.
First, a lot of these meals are unbalanced. You would think a dietician has some influence. It should be tasty and nutricious (not high end). AND look good to eat because when sick you sometimes have trouble eating.
All of this is just a huge conspiracy ! This food prevents healing, so you stay there forever and you keep paying !
My personal theory is that the food will make the patients who can still walk, pack up and leave more quickly, so the understaffed hospital can be rid of them?
Load More Replies...Those pictures were so sad. Most of them said vegan. Were some regular meals better?
number 30 looks like the safest option compared to the vomit that the other hospitals are serving
I was once hospitalized and couldn’t get to eat because the food lack of good appealing. After two days of not eating a social worker showed up, they thought I had an eating disorder (am on the skinny size) after I told her why I wasn’t eating, every day a basket of fruits and pantries was sent to me :-)
Best food I've ever seen in a hospital setting was the meals provided for families and patients and Arkansas Children's Hospital. Their barbeque pork was incredible and the blueberry muffins were the best I've ever had.
I'm so glad I was hospitalised in Sweden. My home town of Västerås (pronounced Westeros,I'm not kidding!) has made an effort to make good, healthy and organic food, which cost less and was composted afterwards. I loved every meal once I was able to eat again, and I got my health back faster, I think! Everything but the brussel sprouts, but I never liked them anyway.
huh. Ive been in hospitals alot i my life and the food i get is always tasty...except the mashed potatos ^^; you can never get mash potatoes right in most places i go to actually except at home
I'm not exactly sure what the heck vegans think a hospital is supposed to whip up for them, if they want something relatively fresh...
My grandma was in the hospital because of an injury (she got better), and the food was ok-decent. it looked and was normal food, but just had this slight tinge of... hospital smell (aka pee)
That's just...sad. I was recently hospitalized following a stroke. It was such a disappointment to go home...the meals were absolutely outstanding. People in that town actually make the hospital's cafeteria a destination for meals, and the same things are served to the patients. I was given an extensive menu, and called my selections in three times a day...whenever I wanted to eat. No set times. They were delivered by a liveried service person. I kinda miss the hospitial...
I don't know! Get your Bacteria from our Cafeteria. That was so disgusting to look at. How could anyone produce something for human consumption that looks remotely so horrible, even to serve such a mess takes guts and a severe lack of respect for a fellow being.
Wow! My hospital food in Appleton, Wisconsin, USA, was actually very good. I was able to order off of a menu.
I posted it above but I wanted to share in the comments. I was in the hospital back in April for COVID. Here is a typical dinner I received. The brown sauce is a mushroom sauce. Sorry for the lighting. hospital-f...3d5744.jpg
I stay four day's in hospital in Tenerife/canaries and the food was great, vegies soup , fresh fish filet with local potato's, and mango mouse as desert with water as drink. This one day menue, the others day were also perfect, great kitchen and services
My daughter went into a private hospital in Cape Town .She is vegan but the staff advised me that they had a full time nutritionist and i shouldnt worry .When her meal came it was....... a tin of Sprite !!!
There are many countries where there is no such thing as hospital food. If you have to stay in a hospital, you need to find a way to get food brought in to you. A friend or family member has to go shopping daily and bring edibles to your room which doesn't have a fridge btw. Just keep this in mind, to keep it all in perspective.
St Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada IMG_202106...c6186b.jpg
“No, I came in with a broken leg. The projectile vomiting started with breakfast.”
I'm just glad I wasn't hospitalized in S Korea while I lived there for three years. LOTS of seaweed soup.
If I had been served some of this slop I would have been throwing it at someone. These presentations diffidently roil the stomach. Great way to diet.
Don’t have a picture but the meals at Basurto hospital in Bilbao a great. Been there accompanying my grandma, mother and husband. Not only look good and smell great, very tasty too.
All of this food is disgusting. It's what I would expect to be served in prisons, not to people who are being charged huge amounts of money (in the US anyway) and should be eating healthy, low-fat meals.
I spent 6 weeks in hospital in Vancouver and have to say that the food was pretty good. My only complaint was if you missed the person who came by to take your choice, their default was egg salad sandwiches. WTF eats egg salad sandwiches? These things are a level of disgusting right below hunny-wagon contents.
Many hospitals struggle financially. Picture-wise, they are going to great lengths to help you out asap:)
At least it’s something every continent has in common - poor nosh in hospital. I would have thought in the USA where you have to pay for everything in a hospital, the food would be 5 star rated. Now I know different.
Same. Given the cost of healthcare in the US, you wouldn't think catering budgets were an issue, I've learnt otherwise too now!
Load More Replies...... how are you supposed to get well again, if it's a lucky day when they serve you a seasoned kitchen sponge and unmolested rice? Seriously, I have seen some of these myself (the mashed potato-resembling concrete with those six ... domes? ... ), and it tasted by no means any better than it looked. Usually, the looks of that Scheißfraß were the best about it.
WTF. French hospital food is known to be "bad" but next to these it's a f**king fancy restaurant.
That's a matter of perspective. I was really glad to be able to eat blank overcooked pasta or rice with nothing else after beeing fed through my veins for a month after a obstruction and a surgery. I was like "yoohoo!best meal ever!" and i'm a pastaddict, i cook really good ones, al dente, but i was still very happy. And i was glad to be able to eat basically anything similar to food but mixed after a broken jaw, wearing arch wires ligatures for 3weeks, only eating proteins shakes with ugly strong artificial flavors.
Load More Replies...Some of these are abominations, but some are people clearly expecting something they would be served at a restaurant. Hospitals are there to offer nutritious food that takes into account the fact you probably aren't exercising so need fewer calories, and as for vegans... you're a tiny minority and terrible for the planet, why should you always get a special menu?
I agree. Some are terrible but others look perfectly fine. People is terribly spoiled.
Load More Replies...We need to round up all the hospital food people globally and lock them in a conference room until they figure this out. Maybe lock them with some airlines, too. Countries like USA have no excuse. Cheap ready made meals are available.
Tip: to increase appetite and reduce recovery time in patients, food should not resemble ANYTHING their body expels or anything that needs to BE expelled.
The hospital its not a place for hight cuisine food :) Its better not to stay too long in a hospital, hence the horrible food, they want you out soon :)))))))))))))))
No one is asking for high cuisine. Just stuff that is recognizable AS food.
Load More Replies...Haha, that's exactly what I thought. It was going to be horrible hospital food from a hospital stay they had abroad. I've had good food at my hospitals with a chef even giving me cheese cake testings during my pregnancy stay.
Load More Replies...