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Just like the quality of healthcare varies by hospital and country, so too does hospital food. One thing most people can agree on across cultures, though, is that this food is usually pretty gross. New York-area healthcare provider Northwell Health told the American College of Lifestyle Medicine<\/a>\u00a0that a patient once called its food “not fit to feed a dog.” While that’s an extreme criticism, hospital food, especially in the U.S., has a longstanding reputation for being bland and, at times, downright unappealing.<\/p>\n Because hospital meals are designed\u00a0to meet medical and nutritional needs, taste isn’t always a top priority. According to a 2024 study published in Clinical Nutrition Open Science<\/a>, around 40% of hospital patients may suffer from malnutrition, which can worsen during their stay. To prevent this,\u00a0dietitians work with doctors and kitchen staff to design hospital meals that will meet nutritional requirements and facilitate specific medical conditions or procedures. Stroke patients may have pureed meals because of difficulty swallowing, for example, while patients with heart- or kidney-related conditions may require low-sodium meals.<\/p>\n But nutrition isn’t the only consideration. Hospitals must provide cost-effective meals for hundreds of patients on set schedules, which can mean much of the food is processed or precooked for convenience. Public hospitals, much like public schools, also operate with tighter budgets than private facilities, which can affect the variety and quality of meals on offer. But are all countries alike in serving subpar food at hospitals? From the U.K. to South Korea to New Zealand, let’s take a look at a few examples of what hospital food looks like in other countries.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n The UK<\/p>\n In the U.K., hospital food is served “Harry Potter” style \u2014 off a trolley. One Reddit<\/a> user shared their meals from a public National Health Service (NHS) hospital in the U.K., writing, “It was a series of hits and misses with no rating exceeding a 7\/10.”<\/p>\n This particular meal shows a balanced (if somewhat unattractive) plate of sliced meat, mashed potatoes<\/a>, and vegetables with chocolate cake and custard for dessert. Considering the meal and the healthcare are free, though, it’s not too shabby.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Canada<\/p>\n Canadian hospital food appears somewhat similar to U.K. hospital food, just with more sides. A Reddit<\/a> user shared this meal from day four of their stay. It reads like an average meal at a diner or old-school cafeteria: meatloaf, mashed potatoes with gravy, beans, a side salad, and some Jell-O with a cup of tea to drink. It looks relatively appetizing, but unfortunately for the Ontario Canadian patient, “Everything was very bland or tasted questionable.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n South Korea<\/p>\n To us, this tray of hospital food actually looks worth eating, at least if you’re into Korean food. One patient on Reddit<\/a>\u00a0was rewarded with this meal after hernia surgery, complete with Doenjang soup, rice, a whole fish, and banchan (or side dishes)\u00a0of kimchi, bok choy, and fermented squid. Even if eating a whole fish isn’t your cup of green tea, you have to admit, this looks like a restaurant-quality meal that’s hopefully full of flavor.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n New Zealand<\/p>\n New Zealand’s hospital food looks to be a nutritious combination of hot comfort food<\/a> and fresh fruits and vegetables. A Reddit<\/a> user staying at a public hospital gave their lunch of chicken casserole, a pastry, pumpkin soup, salad, and a banana a 7 out of 10.<\/p>\n That said, New Zealand hospital food quality seems to vary by institution, particularly public versus private ones. It also tends to favor more Westernized cuisine, with native Pacific Islanders noting a lack of culturally appropriate foods in hospitals, according to The New Zealand Herald<\/a>.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Germany<\/p>\n After one Reddit<\/a> user’s fianc\u00e9e gave birth in a German hospital, they were treated to this meal of chili con carne<\/a>, asparagus soup, sliced French bread, and some strawberry yogurt. While some of the comments joked about how asparagus changes the taste of breast milk, others agreed the food looked rather tasty. At \u20ac60\u00a0per night, some commenters also mused that with meals like this, a German hospital might be a cheaper place to stay than a hotel.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Taiwan<\/p>\n Another Asian country that serves exceptional and culturally appropriate hospital food is Taiwan. This meal of grilled fish and herbal pork rib soup<\/a>\u00a0posted on Reddit<\/a> was served at a postpartum care center. The food is artfully arranged with garnishes, a flower, and even a carved orange, making for a meal that looks as good as it probably tastes. Although it might seem extraneous, presentation matters when it comes to food. According to a 2011 paper published in\u00a0Appetite<\/a>, it affects taste and quality perception.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Australia<\/p>\n A private hospital in Western Australia served up this meal, which included a personal-sized lasagne, salad, pumpkin soup, a Coke, and a fancy dessert. While most of the meal received a lackluster review from the patient on Reddit<\/a>, the dessert was the pi\u00e8ce de r\u00e9sistance. “I ordered a pav for the road lol so good,” the original poster commented, referring to the pavlova dessert. The baked meringue treat is common in Australia and was even featured on “The Great British Bake Off.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Brazil<\/p>\n With so many iconic Brazilian foods<\/a> out there, you’d think the South American country would have more impressive hospital food. Sadly, the reality is somewhat disappointing, as you can see in this photo posted to Reddit<\/a>. The meal looks exactly how you might expect hospital food to look, with every item portion-controlled in a divided tray or individual containers. Still, the braised meat, beans, rice, and noodles seem to be a common food combination according to the comments.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Senegal<\/p>\n It’s said that eating the rainbow has numerous health benefits, and one Senegalese hospital seems to have gotten the memo. Shared in a Reddit<\/a> post, this hospital meal contained chicken legs, boiled carrots and potatoes, a rather sad-looking salad, peppered onion sauce, and a side of fruit.<\/p>\n The poster only gave it a 5-out-of-10 rating due to the fact that their mother, the recipient, found it to be over-seasoned. Still, it’s a definite attempt at a nutritious, well-balanced meal that’s relatively attractive.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Switzerland<\/p>\n Perhaps the best-looking and highest-rated hospital meal on this list comes from Switzerland. As one commenter on the original Reddit<\/a> post put it, “I think this might be the fanciest hospital meal I’ve ever seen!! It looks so good!” The entr\u00e9e is a salmon tartare or lachsvariation in Swiss (as noted on the receipt), served with a curry soup, toasted bread, and salad. With a meal like that, it just goes to show why Switzerland is one of the happiest countries in the world, at least according to\u00a0Global Finance Magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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