White Food

Hospital foods aren't the best among catered foods unless you have bribed the chefs with a nice gift. I used to work in the NHS hospitals in UK and even then, I have always thought the food they served the patients were pretty bland. I guess the tastes of food doesn't matter as much if you aren't fussy. But when you aren't feeling well, the last thing you liked to see is pale,boiled, tasteless food. Paper coasters anyone?

I know, I should be grateful for what I have. I do. Just that I don't really understand the concept of giving patients bland food. My previous managers always told me we have to feed the patients healthily. Hmmmm, feed? I think it's more like us serving them the tray and them looking at the tray first then at the nurses saying,.......'You are kidding me right?' And sure enough, 70 % of the time, the patients hardly eats any of the food served. You think, 'it's okay, they can bring their own food'. Well, depends on hospital policies. The previous ones I worked with says no, you can't. Unless it's permitted by doctors. And of course, because doctors have to promote hospital food, they will say," Eat the hospital food, it's good for you." ..........Patient raises one eyebrow and says," You eat it and see if you can digest it."

My opinion is you cannot change someone's eating habit in just one day or a few days stay at the hospital. All of us are usually fussy with our food. Usually. So, instead of the patients being malnourished and appetite loss, why don't hospitals serve food that patients can still eat without having to feel someone has passed them the 'xerox paper' meal.

What I think is pretty nonsensiscal is when fruits are weighted out for each meal. Huh? One time, they served a tray of rice porridge, big enough for two people to consume and a handful of boiled chicken (no salt, no pepper) and a small plate of 3 pieces of watermelon ( the size that fits a 12 year old hand) with two pieces of grapes.

Hummmm, fructose of fruits compared to complex carbohydrates of rice porridge.

The vicious circle involves patient losing muscle weight because of appetite loss. But when the patients return home, they eat the usual food like nasi lemak or other kuih. Back to patient's old regime of 'not so good' nutrition. The hospital defeats the true purpose of healing the patient in the first place.

Suggestion....why don't they just educate patients properly on food 'do's and don't's '? Rather than forcing what I call 'white food' to patients?

So, ........