Comments on: Curing Hospital Food Waste http://www.wastedfood.com/2008/08/20/hospitals/ a look at how America squanders nearly half of its food Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:36:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Alana http://www.wastedfood.com/2008/08/20/hospitals/#comment-33490 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:39:56 +0000 http://www.wastedfood.com/2008/08/20/hospitals/#comment-33490 I've unfortunately spent quite a bit of time in hospitals this year, but they did have choices. They are also good about portion size. When you order french toast, you're getting one slice of bread, so you need to order the appropriate amount, which is good too. I’ve unfortunately spent quite a bit of time in hospitals this year, but they did have choices. They are also good about portion size. When you order french toast, you’re getting one slice of bread, so you need to order the appropriate amount, which is good too.

]]> by: Katy Wolk-Stanley http://www.wastedfood.com/2008/08/20/hospitals/#comment-32590 Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:02:43 +0000 http://www.wastedfood.com/2008/08/20/hospitals/#comment-32590 I'm not only "The Non-Consumer Advocate," but am also an RN on a labor and delivery floor. My hospital does a pretty good job with their food, but it's certainly far from perfect. Example: Bananas come shrink-wrapped on a plate, which is also on a tray. In terms of food waste. Patients do get to choose their meals, and we have vegetarian, kosher, vegan options, etc. If a patient follows a special diet due to ethnicity or food allergies, a dietician visits with them to help come up with a dietary plan that works for them. Patients often get trays up when they're not actually able to eat, (example: full blown labor) and the RN's will offer the tray to the husband or other support people. And we certainly will eat the food ourselves if no one else will. The exception to this is when it's a "clear liquid tray," which is jello, juice, tea, broth. This is hardly a tempting treat. These do get wasted. I am going to start paying better attention to this issue at work. -Katy Wolk-Stanley "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without." http://thenonconsumeradvocate.wordpress.com I’m not only “The Non-Consumer Advocate,” but am also an RN on a labor and delivery floor.

My hospital does a pretty good job with their food, but it’s certainly far from perfect.

Example: Bananas come shrink-wrapped on a plate, which is also on a tray.

In terms of food waste. Patients do get to choose their meals, and we have vegetarian, kosher, vegan options, etc. If a patient follows a special diet due to ethnicity or food allergies, a dietician visits with them to help come up with a dietary plan that works for them.

Patients often get trays up when they’re not actually able to eat, (example: full blown labor) and the RN’s will offer the tray to the husband or other support people. And we certainly will eat the food ourselves if no one else will. The exception to this is when it’s a “clear liquid tray,” which is jello, juice, tea, broth. This is hardly a tempting treat. These do get wasted.

I am going to start paying better attention to this issue at work.

-Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

http://thenonconsumeradvocate.wordpress.com

]]> by: Kristen http://www.wastedfood.com/2008/08/20/hospitals/#comment-32480 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:59:12 +0000 http://www.wastedfood.com/2008/08/20/hospitals/#comment-32480 You know, I'm not sure I've ever had a hospital meal that looked as tasty as the one in the photo! lol The hospital I delivered all of my kids in had a daily menu, where you could choose exactly what you wanted. That was nice, because I could pick what sounded appetizing and leave out what didn't. You know, I’m not sure I’ve ever had a hospital meal that looked as tasty as the one in the photo! lol

The hospital I delivered all of my kids in had a daily menu, where you could choose exactly what you wanted. That was nice, because I could pick what sounded appetizing and leave out what didn’t.

]]> by: Molly http://www.wastedfood.com/2008/08/20/hospitals/#comment-32472 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:40:11 +0000 http://www.wastedfood.com/2008/08/20/hospitals/#comment-32472 I used to volunteer at a children's hospital, basically baby-sitting patients so their parents could take a break. One of the kids, a 2 year old, was on "double potions" b/c her medical condition caused her to be underweight. The food was not child friendly and was served in adult sized portions. One day she got a try with 4 pieces of fried chicken, spaghetti, a salad and a roll, but she could only eat the spaghetti and roll b/c she was just too young to tackle half of a fried chicken on her own, so the leftovers went straight in the trash. I used to volunteer at a children’s hospital, basically baby-sitting patients so their parents could take a break. One of the kids, a 2 year old, was on “double potions” b/c her medical condition caused her to be underweight. The food was not child friendly and was served in adult sized portions. One day she got a try with 4 pieces of fried chicken, spaghetti, a salad and a roll, but she could only eat the spaghetti and roll b/c she was just too young to tackle half of a fried chicken on her own, so the leftovers went straight in the trash.

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