Facility Holiday Meals: Inquiring minds want to know...

[CheesePotato, BSN, RN]

Okay ya'll, hear me out.

So this week at my current place of employ, there was the Holiday Meal that was offered to the hospital. Which is fantastic. Well...offered is more a misphrasing, I suppose.

They closed the cafeteria down and you could either get the Holiday Meal for free or pass on the whole affair. Alight, I'm all good with that. Do what you got to do, right?

So I toddle downstairs and I have a choice of the following items: meatballs or chicken.

Right.

Now, I love meatballs just as much as the next gal, but these babies were simply lumps of meat rolled into a ball and cooked until they screamed for mercy in the way native to all cafeterias. No pasta. No sauce. Just. Meatballs.

Okay. Fair enough.

Or, there was an offering of chicken sliced so thin you could literally see through it. No joke. Transparent chicken.

Garnishes? Side dishes? Cue the limp steamed broccoli.

I think I was so obsessed with the Meatballs or Chicken conundrum that I completely stroked out on trying to locate a dessert of some variety.

To be clear--I ate the hell out of those meatballs. Yes I did. And just because I could, I had a shaving of chicken as well. All in all, not half bad. I give it a three out of five stars.

Though last year, I vaguely recall an absence of meatballs and the presence of canned ham.

But my point and question is this:

What do they serve at your facility for a Holiday Meal, if anything?

Have you noticed a change in menu over the years?

Lastly, see poll.

Meaty Holiday regards,

~~CheesePotato~~

P.S.

Before anyone gets their knickers in a knot, yes, I know they do not have to offer anything or even acknowledge the holidays in any form. I am grateful that this facility does as others I have worked at do not. I just think I was too busy laughing at the meatballs.

[BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN]

We are having a catered meal brought in by The Melting Pot on 12/21.

[OnlybyHisgraceRN, ASN, RN]

One thanksgiving when I was working in LTC a delicious meal was prepared. Turkey, stuffing, mash potatoes, pies, cakes, gravy etc. Doesn't sound bad right? Wrong. The nursing staff was mandated to eat this meal with the nursing home residents and their families. I loved my residents, however the site of them spitting out food and gravy dripping down their chin was NOT appetizing. Needless to say, I went home hungry that day.

[amoLucia]

Just curious - were you able to eat that meal in peace or were you expected to assist with serving all and feeding the residents?

Not a nice meal IMHO.

[beeker]

We have a holiday banquet, in another building, and it ends at 5 . Too bad so sad for the night shift. Oh and too bad for the day shift, they rarely have time to stuff foods our face never mind a 15 minute walk to get the food and 15 minutes to bring it back. The only people who participate are the non clinical staff.

[chorkle]

As ObHg said, in LTC we were expected to sit & eat with the residents. I usually found something else productive to do.

And beeker echoes another important aspect--it's "hospital wide," but very often, only the office staffs get to participate. One tends to get the impression it wasn't really meant for floor personnel.

[amoLucia]

As ObHg said, in LTC we were expected to sit & eat with the residents. I usually found something else productive to do.

And beeker echoes another important aspect--it's "hospital wide," but very often, only the office staffs get to participate. One tends to get the impression it wasn't really meant for floor personnel.

You noticed that too?!?!