Meals in hospital

[Imfinallyhappy1]

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My daughter is having brain surgery on Thursday in a hospital 200 miles from our home.

We’re not well off and I cannot afford to eat out or cafeteria food everyday. Well be in hospital for about a week and I’m struggling for ideas for me to eat while I’m there. Does anyone have any good ideas?

I was going to take uht milk and granola, pot noodles, breakfast bars etc.

Does anyone have any ideas please?

Thank you

Dried fruit. Nuts. Seeds. These are filing and slow release of energy. Instant Porridge pots. Tinned fish and cracker biscuits. Tuna or salmon bowl meals (by John West). There will likely be a microwave you can use. A few long life ready meals?

Hope it all goes well.

Oh instant hot chocolate. Not a meal but will give you an energy boost and a bit of comfort.

There will be a microwave. So look up close supermarkets. So soup, eggs etc can all be cooked. Instant porridge is filling.

If you’re staying with her in hospital there may be a parents’ fridge, you could ring the ward and ask. If so, find the nearest shop and buy things for sandwiches. Fruit, milk, porridge oats etc.

Mugshot

Where is the hospital? If it’s local to me, I’d be happy to drop off home cooked meals.

What will you have access to? Fridge, microwave or kettle?

If none of those would suggest tinned fish (including fish salads), whole fruit, fruit juices and tinned fruit/custard.

@Lovelydovey

Where is the hospital? If it’s local to me, I’d be happy to drop off home cooked meals.

What will you have access to? Fridge, microwave or kettle?

If none of those would suggest tinned fish (including fish salads), whole fruit, fruit juices and tinned fruit/custard.

Your username couldn’t be more accurate. This is so lovely. I hope it all works out OP.

If you are near Aldi I would buy their microwave rice sachets (about 30p) and microwave Delicious Lentils or Spiced Chickpea sachets (about 89p). I bring these to work on busy days, and they are more filling than sandwiches or noodles.

Spread, bread, marmite, jam and peanut butter all keep fine out of the fridge. As does most fruit for a couple of days. So a sandwich and some fruit for lunch. Granola as you say for breakfast.

And then for supper if there's a microwave and fridge lots of supermarkets do microwave meals 3 for £6 or similar. Not the healthiest but will keep you going, and bring a water bottle to refill.

Lidl do big packs of dried fruit, nuts and Nakd style energy bars really cheap.

Also cous cous which can be made with hot water, you can stir in tuna or tinned mixed bean salad for a meal.

Oh also tinned soup and rolls! I like the bean soups (e.g. Tuscan bean from tesco). I have a whole tin with a bit of bread and its really filling and not too terrible for you.

@Imfinallyhappy1 I would ring the ward and ask what the arrangements are. I was in with my son a couple of weeks ago and they provided 3 meals a day for parents. This was Heart of England Trust so could be different for different trusts I guess.

Don't rule out the hospital canteen - there should be cheap options there. Dole fruit pots are good (little pots of peach, tangerine etc) and don't need refrigerating. The hospital is quite likely to have a charity that raises money for DC with your daughter's condition. They may be able to help you practically.

This is a bit random and area-deoendent, but Sikh gurdwaras feed everyone who turns up for free.

I hope it goes well.

Are you staying in a Ronald mcdonald house? They usually have kitchens you can use, you get allocated fridge and cupboard space. when DD was in for a couple of weeks I took a mix of ready meals, got bread, milk & instant porridge pots and cooked some v quick basics like omelette.

I used slimfast milkshakes when I was in a similar position. I was also really anxious and found it hard to eat so found these helpful and don't need a fridge.

Speak to the ward. Check whether you have use of a parents room and microwave/fridge. When my ds was in last month they had closed the parents room (covid) but the payoff was that parents were offered food along with the children.

I don't have any suggestions apart from ringing the ward to see what is available to you - kettle/microwave - in the first instance. Hope the operation goes well!