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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to expect to be offered a vegetarian option...

95 replies

madangelhairday · 27/12/2011 12:32

..in hospital?

Been in since last Tuesday (with small break for Christmas Day :)) and this is the third time I have been offered; for example: Chicken stew, Turkey salad or Tuna Pasta. What's the veggie option? Tuna Pasta. - No, that's fish. -Well, that's the vegetarian option. - Er, no.

I don't really have the wherewithal to fight. And don't feel too hungry so can't be bothered too much, but this is with the doctors telling me I need to build myself up, get some good nutritional food down me etc. Even when there is a veggie option, the nutritional value has not been particularly high

Now, mostly I have managed to persuade someone to make me a little sandwich. But it's the fighting for it I just feel too tired for.

AIBU to think veggie food should be on offer and should be nutritious?

If so, what should I do?

OP posts:
BandOMothers · 27/12/2011 20:54

It's disgusting that sick people are being fed in this way...it's awful that only those with relatives or friends to subsidise the food are ok....those with nobody must suffer quite terribly. Sad

I bet prisons have better food.

ThePickledGerbil · 27/12/2011 20:59

I've had this too last year. I was in for two nights. The first night they had run out of the veggie option so I was brought a tuna sandwich Hmm I was too tired/shy to say anything.

No brek as I had an op, they forgot to offer me lunch the next day.

The second night I ordered cheese and jacket potato (this sounded heavenly as I hadn't eaten for over 24 hours and had lost a lot of blood so was starving). They served everyone else on the ward but forgot me Sad When they came to collect the plates I asked where mine was...they said they'd run out of spuds, they'd fetch me a sarnie. I reminded them I was veggie so can you guess what they brought...a tuna sandwich Angry

I did get a one piece of white toast before I was discharged Smile

They also forgot to give me water but that's another story!

I can't believe I made it out alive...if I didn't have a broken leg, I'd have run away!

YANBU. Veggie food is so easy to make, is often cheaper, healthier and easier to digest. Why the hell does it baffle and inconvenience people so much. It should be the default food in hospitals, especially as the meat on offer looks to be so low quality it's pointless.

ThePickledGerbil · 27/12/2011 21:03

Giggling like mad at the image of a huge, dry jacket spud slammed down in front of you with the nurse waiting for a great big thanks from you!

entropyglitter · 27/12/2011 21:03

Have nothing much to add except WT actual F is it with hospitals and not serving nutritious food? It makes me soooooooo mad!

Hope you found something edible...

MildlyNarkyPuffin · 27/12/2011 21:12

Another one who was shocked by the veggie food in hospital. I had to bring in food for my relative. No veggie option for most meals. Not ideal for recovery to starve a post op patient

Original poster
madangelhairday · 27/12/2011 21:20

That's awful, Pickled Shock

I'm used to it really as I'm in a fair amount but it depresses me, and this time is worse than ever for food, though the actual treatment is brilliant, no complaints at all. dh bringing in some nice food tomorrow.

OP posts:
MildlyNarkyPuffin · 27/12/2011 21:26

If you're staying in, ask him to make you up a snack box as well as eg a sandwich. I put in:

Cubes of cheddar
Strips of pepper
Cherry tomatoes
Celery sticks
Grapes
Satsumas
Apple
Cashew nuts
Brazil nuts
Oatcakes
Chocolate biscuits

MildlyNarkyPuffin · 27/12/2011 21:26

And carrot sticks and falafel.

JinglePosyPerkin · 27/12/2011 21:31

I was in hospital for much of June, July & early August (with high BP & dodgy blood tests results in late pregnancy), and another lady who was a long-term resident with me had the same problem. She had a lot of jacket potatoes with cheese. Interestingly, one of the more helpful midwives told her to ask for the halal menu if she had problems in future - aswell as halal meat dishes it always has a meat-free option too apparently. Not sure if this applies in all regions but worth a try!

NettoHoHoHoSuperstar · 27/12/2011 21:31

And a mushroom chow mein from the chinese Xmas Grin

BlissfulMistletoe · 27/12/2011 21:32

Yanbu, the hospital I work in all the patients have menu to fill in.

YonderRevoltingPeasantWhoIsHe · 27/12/2011 21:50

Oh and the last time I was in hospital the woman serving the food slammed a tray of stuff down in front of me despite the fact that it said 'NBM' for 'nil by mouth' on the whiteboard above my bed because I was due to have a general anaesthetic in two hours' time and helpfully encouraged me to eat Hmm

Thank Christ I don't have dementia...

BlissfulMistletoe · 27/12/2011 21:56

Also I must stick up for the hostess, they have no dietary training and the newer ones dont generally know about vegetarians, diabetics, halal, nbm ect.

The only training they get is food hygiene and how to serve meals.

Original poster
madangelhairday · 27/12/2011 21:56

That's awful Yonder - I remember last time I was in I was next to a very frail old lady who couldn't move - they just dumped a tray of food at the bottom of her bed - no hope she could get to eat it, even if she could have managed the sort of food it was - she was so thin and frail :( I ended up sitting feeding her.

Blissful, yes usually I've had a menu but it was never a foregone conclusion that you got what you asked for - often it was 'we've run out of the veggie meal' etc. This time they just give me a list and it's always sodding cheese and potato pie.

OP posts:
Casmama · 27/12/2011 22:02

YANBU

YonderRevoltingPeasantWhoIsHe · 27/12/2011 22:03

In the same visit they woke up a sleeping elderly lady in the next bed who had just had some of her toes amputated (diabetic I think) by shaking her and shouting at her - to ask if she wanted a cup of tea. Hmm

Well I suppose at least they weren't starving her Hmm

BlissfulMistletoe · 27/12/2011 22:06

Now that is not on, I can understand them not knowing about dietary needs, but basic bed side manners are common sence :(

YonderRevoltingPeasantWhoIsHe · 27/12/2011 22:09

Blissful it was awful, she was so wonked out on painkillers and had her poor foot propped up all covered in dried blood and bandages and this nurse was shaking her by her shoulders and shouting 'Helloooo! HELLO!' at her. She was so polite when she came 'round as well. Everyone else on the ward was just staring in shock. She had only just come out of surgery a few hours before and was sleeping and on morphine, of course she didn't fucking tea.

/seethes/

babybarrister · 27/12/2011 22:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MonkeyTastic · 27/12/2011 23:02

I was in UHW a few months ago having DS and had to make do with two baked potatoes over three days (whilst establishing bf). One occasion it had a 'salad' with it. It comprised of a few pieces of browning iceberg lettuce and potato croquettes. I ate most of the potato but when I asked the 'dinner lady' to leave the rest as I hadn't finished (15 mins after it was served - DS needed his nappy changing) I got the filthiest look.

All the other options were chicken or mince. For what it's worth the dr's were very impressed at my blood iron levels even after I'd lost four pints. My diet at home is excellent but I feel I really suffered over these three days because of their 'vegetarian' food. I will be complaining about it.

BlissfulMistletoe · 27/12/2011 23:10

I would encourage people to complain I hate hearing stories of people being mistreated by people who are meant to be caring for them

WilsonFrickett · 28/12/2011 00:13

Pickled is right - the default should be proper, healthy veggie food (and I am no longer a veggie btw). It would save soooooo much money and is light and easy to digest.and the meat served in hospital is the very cheapest so there arent any nutritional benefits to eating it. I also imagine most patients would like a packed tea with veg, fruit, maybe a roll and some humous that they could eat when they want, rather than at the hospitals stupidly early time?

Around 4 different posters (presumably from all diffent areas) have mentioned the cheese and potato pie by the way. Utterly ridiculous Shock

ageperfect · 28/12/2011 01:33

I am surprised that they didn't have non meat option . In my knowledge and IME ,they always have non meat option for faith reasons too. Xmas Shock

BluddyMoFo · 28/12/2011 01:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Heleninahandcart · 28/12/2011 01:48

M&S ready meals are the only way to go IMO. Hopefully they have microwaves there that can be used by kitchen staff and/or patients? You shouldn't have to do this, but it was the one thing that kept my spirits up last time I was a hospital inmate.