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Chicken Soup

MikeyBikey

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
When we were young and unwell my mother often made us chicken soup - the famous Jewish antibiotic. Mother used to ake it from a chicken carcass, but more likely a chicken quarter, cooked up with vegetables like carrots, celery, beans, etc. with home made noodles added towards the end. Absolutely delicious!

So when I was offered chicken soup for supper two nights ago I was looking forward to it. Boy, eeas I disappointed! :( :( :( What came along seemed to be ground lentils and vegetables with a Chicken Oxo cube in it! Absolutely disgusting!

So I thought I would have some of the fresh roll with butter. Goodness knows where these FM source their carp ingredients from. I would have binned it rather than insult the local ducks. But I imagine this outsourcing is part of underhand privatisation!

@ColinUK do you have a traditional recipe to share? Thank you.
 
I'm absolutely convinced that UK hospitals are told to make the food as unpalatable as possible in an attempt to shift people off the wards.

My father was in hospital in Spain for a while and the food was amazing, paella, fresh fish, seafood etc. Also the hospital had free unlimited parking!
 
My recent experience has only been "the smaller meal" (not a big dinner) so it was pretty standard sandwiches, etc.
I have no idea what they would do for someone on a low carb diet but I was impressed. I am not saying it was Michelin Star but certainly better than stale white bread with a limp lettuce leaf and a wafter thin slice of ham.
It was nice granary bread with lots of salad and a decent chunk of tasty cheddar followed by a flapjack.
And, they held it back for me because I was still coming round from surgery when it was delivered.
 
I'm absolutely convinced that UK hospitals are told to make the food as unpalatable as possible in an attempt to shift people off the wards.

My father was in hospital in Spain for a while and the food was amazing, paella, fresh fish, seafood etc. Also the hospital had free unlimited parking!
Free parking at hospitals in Scotland too! A couple of years ago I had to spend a week in a trauma centre at a Scottish hospital and the food was surprisingly good: apparently they had funding for a better menu than the rest of the hospital, because of the importance of people who might be in that centre for several months being encouraged to eat. When I was 'stepped down' to a normal ward in the same hospital I certainly noticed the difference :rofl:.
 
Since I changed diet to low carb, it has amazed me how many health issues have improved and it has made me realise that the right diet can be more beneficial than many medications. It is therefore a shame that people in hospitals are not generally offered better food options these days. I understand why (finances) but just sad and makes me concerned how I would manage if I was admitted. Of course I would manage and I am fortunate that I have insulin to facilitate that (assuming I was allowed to keep it and self administer) unlike many Type 2s but I think elements of my health would suffer.... unless my trusty sister was able to smuggle food in for me on a regular basis.

Anyway, pleased to see you posting Mikey even if it was naff chicken soup which prompted it. How are things going? Hope you have got the infection sorted now and a proper treatment plan in place to make progress with healing your foot. Missing you on the Wordle thread!
 
I can't speak for recent hospital food, but when MiL was admitted several years ago the food was so awful we bought meals in for her. Hubby had a stay in hospital around 2021 with appendicitis but was on nil by mouth for 4 days until the blood thinner had left his system and they could safely operate. They were prepared to do emergency op if needed hence nil by mouth.
 
@MikeyBikey I wish I could transport some of the contents of my pressure cooker over to you.
My mum made stews - with dumplings one day and yorkshire puddings the next - it is really easy these days with all the ready prepared veges and even chopped meat, but the best ones, to my mind are those made by emptying the fridge and using the best bits to make a stew.
I have a cold today - nose running like a tap this morning, but now I remember I have some chicken stew in the fridge - and I haven't eaten today - again.
I will go and heat it up, that should make me feel better, and I'll try sending you positive vibes.
By the way, I have been reading your messages and keeping you in mind each day.
 
I was offered up something that looked like it had resided far to long & dropped out of a vending machine, I’d spent nearly 10 hours sitting about having scans & X-rays after an accident a while back & a nurse suggested I needed to eat on the basis I was “diabetic?”
 
I was offered up something that looked like it had resided far to long & dropped out of a vending machine, I’d spent nearly 10 hours sitting about having scans & X-rays after an accident a while back & a nurse suggested I needed to eat on the basis I was “diabetic?”
Old habits and out of date knowledge die hard.
 
I too was provided a sandwich at A&E because I hadn't eaten all day and was diabetic.
OK, I could have coped without it (or made my way to the canteen to pick up something) but I was grateful someone was looking out for me. It wasn't the best sandwich on the planet but, in my case, it was fresh and the nurse was being kind so I was definitely not going to complain.
I was later offered biscuits from the Trauma Unit's secret stash to go with the cup of tea they brewed for me. That was just out of kindness and nothing to do with diabetes ignorance.

Ironically, when I had surgery for the same accident, I was nil by mouth for ten hours beforehand and no one seemed to be concerned. By heck I was hungry: even the hospital lunch trolley smelt appealing.
 
Hospital here not much better, my poor mam couldn’t eat any of the meals, canteen was a bit better. My mam wasn’t a great cook, but her tattie soup was delicious, a can’t seem to make it the same
 
Ohh @MikeyBikey if you were near enough I would hot foot it down to the hospital with a flask of chicken noodle soup. It is my go to when I have a cold or feel unwell. As hubby shared his recent cold virus with me I will be having some tomorrow. (Shepherd's Pie tonight)
Hope the pain meds are helping and the antibiotics are getting that foot infection under control. Sending hugs in lieu of chicken soup. :care:
 
Since I changed diet to low carb, it has amazed me how many health issues have improved and it has made me realise that the right diet can be more beneficial than many medications. It is therefore a shame that people in hospitals are not generally offered better food options these days. I understand why (finances) but just sad and makes me concerned how I would manage if I was admitted. Of course I would manage and I am fortunate that I have insulin to facilitate that (assuming I was allowed to keep it and self administer) unlike many Type 2s but I think elements of my health would suffer.... unless my trusty sister was able to smuggle food in for me on a regular basis.

Anyway, pleased to see you posting Mikey even if it was naff chicken soup which prompted it. How are things going? Hope you have got the infection sorted now and a proper treatment plan in place to make progress with healing your foot. Missing you on the Wordle thread!
In this hacienda, we have an agreement that each will take the other food parcels, should we ever be in hospital for any more than as a day case. Heaven help us if we were both in!
 
Chicken soup, mother would make us that when ill when we were kids, I did same for my kids as they would ask for it, if anything it's warm & comforting.

Must admit don't have high expectations of hospital food & tbh it would have to be pretty bad not to eat it, so usually grateful for whatever comes along.

As where food once was cooked on site most hospitals outsource it now, shame but that's way it is & there's no going back.
 
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