What to Eat in the Hospital

For hospital parents, I have a lot of sympathy. Those chair beds hurt. You don't want to shower in the hospital where everyone with their fatal germs shower. Some days you don't even care, and wear the same sweatpants outfit for two days in a row. You are totally stressed out and start to adjust to the rhythm of the place, a little too much.

At our hospital, they had free coffee at the cafeteria 24/7. I didn't know this until day 3. Important to find out.

They also gave the parents a pass for the cafeteria. You had a voucher for one meal per breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

First of all, I suggest ordering all the meals that the patient is allowed. They usually split up the entree, side dish, appetizer, and dessert. At breakfast they give you a cereal, plus a meat, plus fruit, plus a dairy. Order it all. Save the extra for parents or for home. Don't think we didn't come home with a nice bag full of little fruit cups, saltines, and cranberry juices.

Here are the things that are good to eat at the hospital cafeteria:

1. Salad bar. It's usually simple but good enough.
2. Fresh sandwiches. They can make tuna, or turkey or lunchmeat sandwiches and you can add the condiments. Not bad.
3. Yogurt, fruit, and toast or bagel.
4. Lasagna, enchiladas, or other tray-style dishes.
5. Soup. Their soups are usually not bad.
6. Boiled eggs. What can they do to that?

Here are the things not to eat at the hospital cafeteria:

1. Green beans. They cook the life out of them.
2. Fish. They batter them and then cook them until they are dry, dry, dry.
3. Hamburgers. They keep the hamburgers in some sort of hot water until you order it. That's just weird. Although I must admit, true confessions, it didn't taste that bad.
4. Pancakes. Usually hard, or cold.
5. Scrambled eggs. They have that dry, scoop it with the ice cream scoop kind of eggs that have no flavor and the texture of rubber.
6. Cereal. They only have cheerios, rice krispies, or plain special K. Where are the fruit loops? Where are the apple cinnamon cheerios?

So. A few little tips. Any to add?