How good is your food?

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I recently was inpatient to deliver my baby. The food was terrible. I didn't expect much, but honestly this food was gross. You could only order what would fit on one plate, so you were limited on what you could order together at mealtime. Like i ordered a slice of cheese pizza and a side of 3 chicken strips. Since they will only give one plate they put the strips on my pizza where they melted into the cheese. Yuck! This coming from a hospital that brags about it's award winning chef.. No thanks I'd rather eat disgusting McDonalds. My hubby brought me food in so I didn't have to eat too much of it. So how is the food at your facility?? Do you have it outsourced or is it made on site?

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

I know when I had my baby the hospital food was bad too. I still remember almost 4 years ago. I ordered a banana and got hashbrowns. The food was just not real good. It was edible, but couldn't wait for something from home.

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Been a while, but after my last baby... the kitchen was CLOSED!

Had to get the nursing supervisor to get canned chicken soup out of a vending machine to feed the starving mom!

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

At my main job, it has actually improved a lot. They underwent some major overhauls while I was out on maternity leave, and not only is it better quality, there's a lot more options.

At the second job...hit or miss. Lately more miss than hit.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

The food is hideous at my place of employment. Absolutely horrid. . . complete with the mystery meats covered with gravy that are so overcooked to the point they cannot even be cut in half with a knife.

The food here is so bad that patients frequently complain about their meals in the spaces provided on our customer satisfaction surveys. One gentleman remarked that his meals tasted like dog food.

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Specializes in Oncology.

I've never been hospitalized where I work, but we have the room service ordering system where patients get a menu and can order what they want when they want it. I was against it when it started, but it went much smoother than I expected and the patients like it. Most of my patients have little appetite, but those that do have an appetite seem to think the food is decent.

I was hospitalized at another local hospital and the food was terrible. They had a system where you picked one of three choices for your meals the night before for the next day. Your first day in the hospital, and if they forgot to get your choices (which happened a lot) it was a total surprise. To make matters worse, they ordered me a cardiac/diabetic diet. I do have type 1 diabetes but I haven't followed a special diet in years for that- I just take insulin based on what I'm eating. I have nothing wrong cardiac wise at all, not even high BP. So, I demanded this get changed to regular, which they did, then the charge nurse had it changed back, then I had them change it to regular yet again. It made no difference. The food was still unrecognizable and terrible. Brown iceberg lettuce "salads," fake scrambled eggs, stale bread, canned vegetables, and mystery meat. Just disgusting. My friends and family brought me food and I got milk and cereal and nothing else from them. I mean, they brought food up, but I didn't touch it. It was awful never knowing what time it was coming.

I was also hospitalized once at a major hospital in another city this summer. They had the system where you ordered what you wanted when you wanted it too. I had had surgery the day I was admitted so I had been NPO since the previous night when I got to my room at 6:30pm. Where I work ordering ends at 6 so I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get dinner either, but their ordering was open until 11pm! I had dinner and a bed time snack. It made such a difference in my emotional state. Their food truly was good too.

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Specializes in Emergency.

It's awful. Meal time makes me want to gag, and I just have to smell it, not eat it. When I was in hospital after delivery I ate a yogurt and coffee, then had my husband go out and buy me food when he arrived, cause I sure wasn't touching anything else on that plate.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

Hubby has been an inpatient at my local hospital a few times, and he really liked the food. They have a farm-to-table program, and most of the food is made on site, including things like granola. He especially liked the salmon, veggie burger, and cherry pie.

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Specializes in Surgical, quality,management.

Just curious The Commuter how did your pt know what dog food tastes like ;) ?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Just curious The Commuter how did your pt know what dog food tastes like ;) ?
LOL. . .I have two guesses:

1. He's been broke enough to have really eaten dog food, or

2. He's being a dramatic whiner when it comes to our facility's food.

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Specializes in CICU.

Our cafeteria food is pretty decent. I often eat breakfast there after my shift. When I was on days I ate lunch there a lot.

I think the patient's food has improved, although I haven't been an inpatient. The patients seem reasonably happy with it.

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Been a while, but after my last baby... the kitchen was CLOSED!

Had to get the nursing supervisor to get canned chicken soup out of a vending machine to feed the starving mom!

Yeah the kitchen was closed after my baby was born, but the nurse was able to find a leftover turkey sandwich and chips.. That was the only food I "enjoyed" during my 4 day stay there.

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