Upon creating a research project, I sought to investigate why hospital food is known for being notoriously bad. Using “hospital” as a descriptor for food served in hospitals allows insight into what the general public thinks of what is generally offered. Although Obamacare served as a catalyst for reimagining the food system in hospitals, my personal experience in hospitals gave me a negative outlook on hospital food prior to my research. My father spent numerous nights in the emergency room and intensive care unit throughout his diagnosis. Thankfully, the Jacobs Medical Center at University of California, San Diego offered a menu with room service style, yet once my dad became weaker, his food options dwindled. His first few meals in the hospital remained untouched, laid out on a tray right in front of him, as his appetite decreased and his hand and mouth movement weakened. Despite weaker swallowing and lost control of the throat, he was able to eat thick, soft liquids during his final days. However, one flavor of applesauce was the only thing the speech pathologist could offer for food. Nevertheless, I am forever grateful to the Jacobs Medical Center and their hardworking team. The way food was handled and distributed during my many hours there inspired my research on food in hospitals.
I will look at two different hospitals, University of Mississippi Medical Center in Mississippi which has a traditional hospital food approach and Stony Brook University Hospital in New York, offering a progressive food system.
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