ABU DHABI // The National bought food from the canteens at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Mafraq Hospital and Corniche Hospital, with a budget of Dh30 at each.
The menu at Corniche Hospital included jerk chicken, meatballs, kebabs, fried chicken wings, salty french fries and a cheesy pasta dish. The only healthy food appeared to be a grilled fish and steamed vegetable dish.
At Mafraq Hospital the hot counter advertised fried chicken wings, pasta dishes and curries.
We ordered the “chicken pineapple”, swimming in a fatty cheese sauce, and a beef menudo dish, each served with white rice. The snack counter offered muffins, cheesecakes and pastries, and slices of pizza each the size of half a pizza.
The “special cake” of the day was a three-tier cream and sponge offering. The “healthy food” section consisted of rice, mashed potato, grilled cashew nut kebab and tomato crown fish.
The city’s largest government hospital, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, did offer more variety, and gluten-free options, but fatty foods were still on the menu.
We ordered potato mashwi – cubes of potato fried in spices – and a cream chicken dish with a sponge cake dessert.
At the checkout, customers were further tempted by large bags of salty popcorn lining the counter.
Junk food, sweet drinks and sugary snacks were available at all three hospitals.
jbell@thenational.ae