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Hospital Food

liuzhou

By liuzhou
in Food Traditions & Culture

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liamsaunt

liamsaunt

Posted
Posted

I hope you are able to leave the hospital soon.  The food looks horrible. I have had the misfortune to eat hospital food in three different hospitals in the Boston area. Two were as pathetic as the meals you are being subjected to. Luckily in each case I only had to eat once before being released.  The third place was actually quite good and they fed my husband the same meal too.  I am glad your friends and family are able to bring you something decent to eat.

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ElsieD

ElsieD

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Anna N said:

😀

 

I actually checked myself (AMA) out of the emergency room here at one time. I told them I was cold, hungry and tired and home was a better place for me.  In retrospect it was an unwise move on my part. This time in emergency something must’ve clicked with them because I was given three heated blankets. Heaven!

 

 My room temperature and humidity are constantly monitored so I can tell you right now we are at 22.5°C and 41%  relative humidity. I do find it cold if I’m not moving at all but otherwise it’s quite comfortable.

 

I too have learned to bring some warm duds with me to emergency.  I have also learned that I can get warm blankets upon request and that  (I don't know what this area is called but it's where you are put in a bed, hooked up to stuff and constantly monitored) that area has a fridge containing food that is actually pretty good and is available for those of us who get hungry.

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Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted
54 minutes ago, liamsaunt said:

I hope you are able to leave the hospital soon.  The food looks horrible. I have had the misfortune to eat hospital food in three different hospitals in the Boston area. Two were as pathetic as the meals you are being subjected to. Luckily in each case I only had to eat once before being released.  The third place was actually quite good and they fed my husband the same meal too.  I am glad your friends and family are able to bring you something decent to eat.

I cannot bear to look at your meals at the moment. They only make this stuff so much worse.  You inspire me!  

 

 Good news. Unless something drastic happens and it better not I will be going home on Thursday!!!

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted

OK you need to hold your nose for this one. Truly, truly you do.  Only because you were such a great group could I bring myself to leave the lid off long enough to snap one quick photograph.    One time I am so glad we don’t have smell o vision or I would not be able to show it to you. 

 

2A2B6D13-53DE-4BBE-8D86-71664F72F597.thumb.jpeg.2c0a63f441f37b070a5ce523be650ed0.jpeg

 

 No I did not try it – – not the fish, not the potatoes, not peas. If I had allowed my nose to get that close I would never get the smell of old fish out of it. It probably is not rotten fish. What it is fish that is far from fresh.  And that has been sitting under a cover for knows how long before being brought up to the rooms. So when you take that cover off smell is overpowering. Fortunately I am now at a stage where I was able to remove it immediately from my vicinity.

 

I have to say from my point of view this is the worst meal yet. Fish is probably never a wise choice for institutional service. 

 

From the tray I rescued the social tees, the cranberry cocktail, and the pepper just in case I run out of the freshly ground that Kerry brought in. 

 

And then I enjoyed this Mexican corn salad that @Kerry Beal had made at home and brought in for me.  She stashed it in the refrigerator which I know I have access to.

 

71A43F7F-A179-4F7D-B26F-903D45A4F431.thumb.jpeg.f36f99ba7bc2f2ce0192f5f4354ea316.jpeg

 

  She also brought in appropriate containers of salt and pepper and they will improve almost everything that I have to deal with.  

 

 

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

demiglace

demiglace

Posted
Posted
21 minutes ago, Anna N said:

OK you need to hold your nose for this one. Truly, truly you do.  Only because you were such a great group could I bring myself to leave the lid off long enough to snap one quick photograph.    One time I am so glad we don’t have smell o vision or I would not be able to show it to you. 

 

2A2B6D13-53DE-4BBE-8D86-71664F72F597.thumb.jpeg.2c0a63f441f37b070a5ce523be650ed0.jpeg

 

 No I did not try it – – not the fish, not the potatoes, not peas. If I had allowed my nose to get that close I would never get the smell of old fish out of it. It probably is not rotten fish. What it is fish that is far from fresh.  And that has been sitting under a cover for knows how long before being brought up to the rooms. So when you take that cover off smell is overpowering. Fortunately I am now at a stage where I was able to remove it immediately from my vicinity.

 

I have to say from my point of view this is the worst meal yet. Fish is probably never a wise choice for institutional service. 

 

From the tray I rescued the social tees, the cranberry cocktail, and the pepper just in case I run out of the freshly ground that Kerry brought in. 

 

And then I enjoyed this Mexican corn salad that @Kerry Beal had made at home and brought in for me.  She stashed it in the refrigerator which I know I have access to.

 

71A43F7F-A179-4F7D-B26F-903D45A4F431.thumb.jpeg.f36f99ba7bc2f2ce0192f5f4354ea316.jpeg

 

  She also brought in appropriate containers of salt and pepper and they will improve almost everything that I have to deal with.  

 

 

Did you notice the peas were doing  Edvard Munch  The Scream?

 

 

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kayb

kayb

Posted
Posted

Dear Sweet Baby Jesus. I have no words.

 

I can only cringe for the poor souls in that hospital who are not fortunate enough to have friends and family who will feed them.

 

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Don't ask. Eat it.

www.kayatthekeyboard.wordpress.com

Margaret Pilgrim

Margaret Pilgrim

Posted
Posted

Fish.   Never fish.   Not in cheap dives unless they're taco mobiles.   Not on planes.  Never in hospitals.  

Am surprised you survived the scent.  

As they say, thank God we're sturdy peasant stock!

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eGullet member #80.

Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted
9 minutes ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

Fish.   Never fish.   Not in cheap dives unless they're taco mobiles.   Not on planes.  Never in hospitals.  

Am surprised you survived the scent.  

As they say, thank God we're sturdy peasant stock!

 Yep. Another waste of a very precious resource.  

 

 Well tonight I went down to check out what I thought was a fabulous food court. There is a fabulous amount of seating but there are only four vendors!  Ouch. There is Thai Express, 16 mile Café, Fit for Life and Tim Hortons.   I was so disappointed. I did not eat down there as I had already eaten but my daughter had a curry from Thai Express. The Ladies Who Lunch might want to rethink their venue for tomorrow!

 

 Then my daughter decided she would like to show me the Best Buy Express  which I understand was nothing more than a vending machine offering electronic products. Best Buy has been replaced by this:

 

71831ED6-509D-4745-AD05-EABDE6947161.thumb.jpeg.8f100627d920aa7f47679b7ba20fb504.jpeg

 

 Feeling quite silly without even a cocktail  in either of us we decided to share one of these.

 

EC13079C-F083-4133-9ED2-3C215BE62F0A.thumb.jpeg.5c95508af8f60c0deca81d963765682f.jpeg

 

The machine dispensed two spoons and would’ve continued to dispense spoons as long as we were prepared to take them.

 

It wasn’t much of an improvement on  hospital food to be truthful.  It was junk food even if the word yoghurt was used. But It was cold and I enjoyed that part of it and the sharing of it.

 

Did it once. Don’t need to do it ever again. 

 

 Tomorrow I will post breakfast and lunch and then bring this little diversion to a close. My medical team are going to fill my last day and a half with  non-food related activities and I doubt that I will have time to do any further posting.  

 

 

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

Tri2Cook

Tri2Cook

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, chromedome said:

I think I've seen that same weird texture in eggs that have been frozen after cooking

 
I'm guessing you're spot-on with that assessment. The texture looks a lot like the omelette-esque eggs Subway uses for their breakfast sandwiches, which are indeed brought in pre-cooked and frozen from an outside source to be thawed and warmed for our enjoyment... assuming we enjoy our eggs a bit rubbery and somewhat dry.

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It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

Margaret Pilgrim

Margaret Pilgrim

Posted
Posted

This has been a delightful romp.    Anna is a trouper but, more important, a raconteur without peer.    We acknowledge that her stay was serious for her, but she turned it into an unforgettable gift to us.   

So we, and certainly, you, Anna, look forward to your busting out on Thursday...

 

And we all hold our breaths for your encore.   

 

 

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eGullet member #80.

liamsaunt

liamsaunt

Posted
Posted

Good luck with your last hospital related activities.  Get out of there safely and back to your usual food adventures!  🙂

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KennethT

KennethT

Posted
Posted
6 hours ago, Anna N said:

I cannot bear to look at your meals at the moment. They only make this stuff so much worse.  You inspire me!  

 

 Good news. Unless something drastic happens and it better not I will be going home on Thursday!!!

I wish there was a "YAY!!!" button... I'll be very glad to see you out of there for more than one reason! Hope tomorrow goes as easily as possible!

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Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted

The great toast shortage has ended I am pleased to say. I was sure I would get some sweet, poorly baked something or other. 

 

D28BC00E-6E66-4C77-B73A-7DDCADE8B278.thumb.jpeg.2fcdc4818de53c068f2b045de7ba7a15.jpeg

 

 The toast still had the merest hint of warmth. I had one slice with cream cheese and a little pepper and the other with Robertsons marmalade. I rescued the apple juice but that was about as much as I could do from this tray. 

 

A thought did occur to me that our restaurants are required to post calorie counts for their meals but apparently hospitals are not? Not that anyone could fear an abundance of calories here! 

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

chromedome

chromedome

Posted
Posted

Back in the 80s, when I was hitchhiking a lot, I got a lift with a guy who claimed he'd been the original patent-holder on those foil-topped cups. Said that was the second time he'd been a millionaire.

 

He was quite a colorful character. Claimed he'd made and lost three fortunes, and was then on his way to Vancouver with everything he owned in a station wagon, intent on making a fourth ("..but this time I'm not marrying any damn stripper...").

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“Who loves a garden, loves a greenhouse too.” - William Cowper, The Task, Book Three

 

"Not knowing the scope of your own ignorance is part of the human condition...The first rule of the Dunning-Kruger club is you don’t know you’re a member of the Dunning-Kruger club.” - psychologist David Dunning

 

Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted

469E28C5-E7EC-443E-BC6B-D780EB546256.thumb.jpeg.a34a32e777a352080eb0001de7e3cba4.jpeg

 

 Lunch. Yes, I know it’s shocking.   Kerry and I shared the eggrolls and each had a bowl of the soup in the comfort of my home!  

 

I think either that all your good wishes must have got through to my medical people and they decided to let me go or all my criticism of the food got to somebody else and they decided I should be removed quickly before I did any more damage.

 

 I am happy to be home and I am eternally grateful that you spent those 5/6 days with me.  It made it tolerable. No it made more than tolerable.  I felt that I had hordes of visitors all day and all night long keeping me upbeat and optimistic.

 

 Thanks to everyone for contributing, commenting, joking etc. etc. 

 

 

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted

@Anna N

 

nice

 

Welcome Home !

 

not to meddle

 

too much

 

possibly some crispy calamari 

 

sooon

 

would seal the deal ?

 

being home.

 

cheers

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