Lessons from “Bad” Hospital Food; Being Happy with Health

There is a popular stereotype that hospital food is unappetizing. Despite this, my experience at Spaulding Rehab Hospital changed my perspective. My first meal there was nearly a decade ago, yet I remember it vividly: white rice, black beans, broccoli, and a “PediaSure” drink. This simple meal signified the beginning of my journey back to better health.  After weeks of being fed only liquids through a tube in my nose, eating solid food felt like a major milestone. That meal, as ordinary as it was, has stuck with me for years, perhaps because it came at such a crucial time.

The nutritionists and dietitians at Spaulding went to great lengths to ensure each meal contributed to my recovery. As I pursue nutrition courses in college, I understand the care and planning that goes into meal plans for each patient. Nutritionists and dieticians were tasked with helping restore my mobility, weight, and strength lost due to surgery. This included me drinking a protein and calorie dense “PediaSure” supplement with every meal. Despite its strange aftertaste, I grew to love it, knowing it played a key role in my recovery.

That experience fueled my desire to become a nutritionist major in college and hopefully one day be able to give back the care and help given to me. It has always perplexed me how people could look at hospital food in disgust when it is a big factor in aiding them back to recovery. Our strength and health are so deeply influenced by what we consume which is a belief that continues to be confirmed with everything I learn about nutrition. I hope to put an end to the “gross” food stigma for hospitals and put more emphasis on the restorative abilities of a proper diet. Eating a well-balanced meal prepared by a dietician should leave you content and confident in the meal. When your body receives the nutrients it needs, every meal will satisfy not just your palate, but also your overall well-being.