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FOOD AND DRINK

Three courses and white tablecloths? What Italian hospital food is really like

Hospital food usually leaves a lot to be desired - but some patients say things are different in Italy.

A Thanksgiving hospital meal in Houston, Texas in 2020. How does Italy compare?
A Thanksgiving hospital meal served in Houston, Texas in 2020. How does Italy compare? Photo by Go Nakamura/ Getty Images via AFP.

It’s safe to say that the majority of people preparing for a hospital stay anywhere in the world won’t be expecting much from the food.

But in Italy, some international residents report being pleasantly surprised by the meals they’ve received while in hospital.

READ ALSO: ‘Public vs private: What are your healthcare options in Italy?’

Is decent food to be expected, given Italy’s culinary reputation and its highly-regarded public healthcare system? Or are these patients just a lucky minority?

The Local recently asked readers for their views, and the response was very mixed.

The majority of people who responded to our question about hospital food in Italy rated it as ‘poor’ (25 people) or ‘average’ (17 people).

13 readers rated hospital food in Italy as ‘good’ and four even described it as ‘delicious’. Seven people, however, said they found it inedible.

Sharri Whiting in Umbria says the meals she was served in Italian hospitals were “better than food at US hospitals. Fresher, less institutional.”

“I’ve had white tablecloths set up before the meal comes,” she says.

“Care is taken to provide well-prepared and balanced food,” says Emilia–Romagna resident Jacqueline Gallagher, 66, and 61-year-old Susie Carpanini in Tuscany says the food is “simple and nourishing”.

‘Like in the Autogrill’

“Good variety and tasty,” says Charles Ippoliti, 68, in Piedmont. “Italian food is always better,” says 58-year-old Flavio S. in Lecce, Puglia.

“We found a bar, like in the Autogrill, and the food was fine,” says Davide Bennet, comparing hospital food to that found at Italian motorway service stations.

Many recommend asking friends and family to bring in meals from outside – noting that this is what Italians do – though one reader found this wasn’t necessary.

“I used to take my husband lunch every day (being used to English hospitals) but he was given three courses and preferred their meals to mine!” says 74-year-old Sarah Balmer in Casentino, Tuscany.

READ ALSO: ‘Very professional but underequipped’: What readers think of Italy’s hospitals

Sarah’s husband isn’t alone, as one anonymous 64-year-old reader in Lucca, also in Tuscany, judges Italian hospital food to be “far superior to UK hospitals.”

But 73-year-old Ian Hesketh in Alberobello, Puglia, reports the opposite: “Compared to the UK the food standard is horrendous.”

And Kenneth Treves in Le Marche comments that Italian hospital food is “awful, but I didn’t die of it.”

Hospital meals in the US and UK – better or worse than Italy’s? Photo by Go Nakamura /Getty Images/AFP.

Overall, few of those who responded to the survey were particularly impressed, often describing the food as “bland” or “carb-heavy”.

Jennifer, a 73-year-old resident of Bagni di Lucca, Tuscany, describes “the standard invalid food of white, white, white,” though it was “easy to digest and gave me enough nutrition for what was needed at the time.”

Willem-Jan Kuiper, 59, in Le Marche, had “overcooked semolina and pasta without any sauce” and “almost no protein”.

‘No fresh fruit or vegetables’

There’s “basically nothing edible,” says Joanne Berger, 58, in Montecatini Val Di Cecina.

A few readers highlighted a lack of options for patients with dietary restrictions.

“As a lifelong vegetarian I suffered in Terni in 2016…it took a while for them to understand and the answer was a slab of cheese on a plate,” says Paul Harcourt Davies, 73.

67-year-old Greg Hopkins in Colico, Lombardy, says the small hospital where he was treated “didn’t have the ability to provide for dietary preferences such as gluten free.”

“One could leave fatter and with scurvy,” says an anonymous 61-year-old patient in Arezzo, Tuscany.

Readers may not rate the food in Italian hospitals, but importantly most of you agreed that the standards of care were high.

Thanks to everyone who took part in our survey.

Member comments

  1. I stayed in two hospitals. One, the public university hospital in Perugia. And the other a private hospital which is obliged to take a percentage public patients. The food in the university hospital was inedible. I lost five pounds there. The second hospital I looked forward to losing weight but I anticipated my meals with pleasure. I ate them all. They were delicious. And I didn’t lose weight. I even brought condiments to the second hospital ( based on the horrible first). It wasn’t needed.

  2. I’ve been in several Tuscan hospitals. Overall, the hospitals are good to very good as far as care goes but it is totally different than in the US. An Italian friend described it to me. In the US you pay mightily for care and your doctors make you a part of your care team, explaining options and letting you choose. They want you to give them a good recommendation. In Italy, Doctors see you as getting a free service and they know best. Paternalistic.

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LEARNING ITALIAN

The essential vocabulary you’ll need to dine out in Italy

Waiters in Italy's big cities and holiday hotspots often have a good command of English, but that's not always the case in the rest of the country. Here is some key Italian vocabulary to help you enjoy a smooth dining experience.

The essential vocabulary you'll need to dine out in Italy

Dining out is one of the best ways to explore Italy’s famous cuisine and one of the experiences tourists most look forward to when visiting the country.

Generally speaking, waiting staff at most restaurants in major cities and holiday hotspots around Italy will have at least some basic knowledge of English, meaning you’ll be able to order your meal in inglese without any particular issues. 

But that might not be the case in less visited areas of the peninsula, or in less popular establishments, where waiters may not be used to foreign clientele and may not be confident English speakers. 

Whether you’re dealing with staff with a not-so-great command of English, or are simply tempted to put your Italian skills to the test and order food and drinks in the local language, there are some key words and phrases that you’ll need to be familiar with to enjoy a smooth dining experience in Italy.

Choosing your restaurant

Picking the right spot for a lunch (pranzo) or dinner (cena) can be hard without some basic knowledge of all the different kinds of restaurants available in the country and their names. 

Though the precise distinction between ristoranti, trattorie, osterie and agriturismi isn’t always clear to Italians either, each establishment has some unique features. Knowing this will help you make the best choice for the occasion at hand. 

READ ALSO: Trattoria to osteria: Explaining the different restaurants in Italy

Reserving a table

Once you’ve picked the restaurant, it’s strongly advisable that you book (prenotare) a table (un tavolo). 

Italian restaurants can get extremely busy, especially over the summer and on or around national public holidays, which means it’s always best to book a spot well in advance to avoid being told “Scusi, siamo al completo/siamo pieni” (Sorry, we’re fully booked) at a later date. 

Some restaurants may allow you to book online, either through their website or via external online platforms or apps, but this is definitely not the case for all venues.

Should calling the restaurant be the only option, you can simply say: “Vorrei riservare un tavolo per (numero) persone alle (ora) di (giorno),” which translates as “I’d like to reserve a table for (number) people at (time) on (day)”.

To confirm the reservation, you’ll in most cases be asked to provide your name (nome) or surname (cognome) and mobile phone number (numero di cellulare).

If the restaurant has an outdoor seating area, you may also be asked if you’d like to eat indoors (dentro or all’interno) or outdoors (fuori or all’esterno).

Ordering food and drinks

Once at the restaurant, the first thing you’ll have to do is let the restaurant manager or waiting staff know that you have a reservation. 

You can do so by saying: “Ho una prenotazione per (ora) con nome (nome)”, which means “I have a reservation for (time) with name (your name)”.

Once seated, you’ll be given a menu (menù in Italian – note the accent on the ‘u’) and usually be given some bread (pane) or breadsticks (grissini) to snack on while you decide what to eat or drink.

In most cases, these won’t be free of charge (you’ll see them billed as pane or coperto) but you can turn them down with a simple “No, grazie” (No, thank you).

READ ALSO: ‘A rip-off’: Should you really get mad about Italy’s table charge?

In most restaurants in big cities and popular tourist hotspots, menus will be available in both English and Italian.

If that’s not the case, you can ask the waiter (cameriere) to explain what the items you’re not familiar with are: “Che cosa c’e’ in questo piatto?” (What’s in this dish?) or “Che ingrediente e’ questo?” (What ingredient is this?).

Or you may ask for their English translation (traduzione in inglese).

The menu will likely be divided into the following sections: antipasti (appetisers), primi (first courses), secondi (second courses), contorni (sides), dolci (desserts), bevande alcoliche (alcoholic drinks) and bevande analcoliche (soft drinks).

If you’re looking for recommendations on what to order (ordinare), you can ask your waiter: “Cosa mi consigli da bere/da mangiare?” (What do you suggest I eat/drink?).

You can also ask how big portions are (“Quanto sono grandi le porzioni?”) if you’re afraid you may order more than you can possibly take on.

READ ALSO: Antipasto to amaro: What to expect from every step of an Italian dinner

If you need some more time to look at the menu, you can say: “Mi serve un altro po’ di tempo”.

To order, simply say “Io prendo…” (I’ll take) followed by your order. 

Particular requests

Whether you need an extra plate, new cutlery or another napkin, you can just ask: “Possiamo avere…?” followed by what you need and per favore (please). 

Here are some useful terms to know.

Posate (cutlery): forchetta (fork), coltello (knife), cucchiaio (spoon), cucchiaino (tea spoon).

Stoviglie (tableware): piatto fondo (soup plate), piatto piano (dinner plate), vassoio (tray), piattino (side plate), bicchiere (glass), caraffa (jug), bottiglia (bottle), tovagliolo (napkin), salviette (wipes).

Asking for the bill

Italian waiters don’t normally like to hurry their customers and it’s perfectly acceptable to linger and chat over the dregs of the wine after finishing your meal.

READ ALSO: The etiquette around paying your restaurant bill in Italy

When you’re ready to pay the bill, try to catch the waiter’s eye and ask: “Possiamo avere il conto?

You’ll have the option to pay at the counter (alla cassa) or at the table (al tavolo), in cash (contanti) or by card (carta).

Though tipping isn’t required or expected in Italy, you can still leave a tip (mancia) if you were particularly happy with the service (servizio) or the food you consumed.

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