Hospital Food - Frozen, Fresh and Chilled Meals

The food imbibed whilst in medical facilities plays a vital role in the speed of recovery and also the wellbeing of patients in hospitals. This is why hospital food is such a hot topic, and whilst in the past its quality may have been questionable, today, the standard of taste and presentation are high.

Standards have been improved by the development of various hospital food preparation systems which apply logical methods of food preparation and utilise them within the hospital setting. With the growth of different food systems however, there is increasing debate over which forms of food preparation are better.

HOSPITAL DIET

As a result of this debate there have been numerous studies into what types of hospital food are better, in terms of preparation, nutritional value and customer satisfaction.

In regards to preparation it is argued that rather than freshly prepared meals, that have to be cooked centrally and then transported to wards, resulting in poor presentation and temperature levels. In contrast frozen and chilled meals, which can be taken to the wards cold, heated relatively easily close to the patients without any special skills, are delivered much hotter and often, better presented.

Another topic within the field of preparation is the variety of meals available to patients. Once again, frozen meals offer a serious benefit over chilled and fresh foods as they can be stored for much longer periods of time, meaning that hospitals can stock a large variety of meals without creating large amounts of waste.

The debate over nutritional value of fresh, chilled and frozen food rages on, with evidence on all sides. Fresh ingredients, received daily will provide the best nutritional value for patients, but only if the hospital has the facilities to prepare 3 meals a day, frozen foods on the other hand are frozen immediately after cooking and hence seal in the nutrients and flavours, any reputable food provider will also have a nutritionist on and to ensure the value of the meals. Chilled foods probably represent the worst option in this respect, as they are prepared meals that start losing their nutritional value as soon as they are cooked.

Customer satisfaction is a little more subjective, which is why studies are hard to judge. However customer satisfaction can be equally good or bad for all of the food preparation methods, it is wholly dependent upon whether the company providing the food is capable of a diverse, tasty and nutritious menu and the ability of hospital staff to prepare food effectively.

Hospital Food - Frozen, Fresh and Chilled Meals

HOSPITAL DIET