“Meals served in hospitals are unappealing and bland.” Do you have this preconception about hospital food? This post is about to change your mindset.

Truth is, there are hospitals that serve boring and insipid food. But, the good news here is that, several hospitals are upping their ante, revamping their menus to keep up with growing expectations, and to pander to fussy eaters. One of which, is Raffles Hospital –a leading private healthcare provider in Singapore and South East Asia. Their range of specialist medical and diagnostic services spans across 30 specialties, in which patients are assured of top-notch medical services in a palatial and comfortable environment.

Check out their wards, in which one can almost describe as luxurious. There’s free WiFi throughout the hospital premises, where inpatients need not feel disconnected with the world outside while recuperating.

Private bathroom in a luxurious hospital ward –doesn’t this look like a bathroom of a hotel suite?

Family members can also stay overnight in the patients’ suites, in the luxurious living room.

I was recently invited to Raffles Hospital for a food tasting session, and was utterly impressed by what I tasted. Developing the menu is not an independent job scope in the hospital; teamwork plays an important part. Executive Chef Richard Chong works hand in hand with a nutritionist, whose job is to ensure that the meal is healthy and well balanced. Healthy foods from the four food groups are included in each meal, and every single calorie that goes into each dish is accurately calculated. Everything is prepared from scratch in the kitchen. Patients are ensured a balanced diet, meeting their nutritional needs.

The kitchen never stops evolving. Feedback for improvements are gathered and taken into consideration; the menu is revamped every 1 to 2 years.

Since international patients account for a third of their total occupancy, the menu is catered to diverse palates, and different ethnic groups.

Patients will also be relieved to know that there is no repetition of the menu in a week. Those who require a longer recuperation time in the hospital will not be bored with the same few options everyday. The menu is very extensive, almost like a restaurant’s menu.

Meals are served during breakfast (7.45am-8.45am), lunch (12pm-1.30pm), afternoon tea (3pm-4pm), dinner (6pm-7.30pm) and nightcap (8pm-9pm).

Braised Tofu with Mixed Vegetables

The Braised Tofu with Mixed Vegetables is a vegetarian option comprising eight different vegetables, which account for the vibrant colours on the plate. Packed with nutrition, this dish is beneficial to heart health, is high in dietary fibre and contains a variety of antioxidants. My favourite element, the tofu, is a good source of protein.

Seafood Penang Kway Teow

Raffles Hospital’s rendition of Fried Kway Teow consists of 394 calories, 19g carbohydrates, 22g protein, 25g fats, 5g saturated fat, 3g dietary fibres –a massive reduction of half the amount of calories and carbohydrates as compared to the regular hawker-version of fried kway teow.

Did you know that Fried Kway Teow is the most calorie-laden hawker fare in Singapore? There are more calories and carbohydrates in a serving of Fried Kway Teow than in a serving of Chicken Rice.

This less-than-400-calories-version has got to be the best healthier-choice Fried Kway Teow I’ve ever had –totally exceeding my expectations. The flavours are assertive, without the ubiquitous traces of oil. There were grouses across the panel lamenting the lack of pork lard, but to be able to achieve such flavourful content without pork lard is a feat –I didn’t mind that absence at all. A luxurious touch is given to this all-time-favourite hawker fare, with the addition of large prawns and fresh succulent squid.

Meals are prepared using less salt and oil, without compromising on flavour. Food on the whole is tasty and appetising despite the fact that no MSG is added. Chef Richard Chong enlightens us with a useful cooking tip –use home-brewed chicken stock as a flavour enhancer. Here, chicken is boiled for over 4 hours to extract all the wonderful essences.

Beef Lasagne

Beef Lasagne here consists of less than 500 calories, and is high in protein –455 calories, 32g carbohydrates, 15g protein, 28g fats, 4g saturated fat, 11g dietary fibre.

Beef is a good source of haem-iron –a form of iron, which is well absorbed by the body. Iron is also an essential nutrient and is used by the body to carry oxygen and maintain immune functions.

This is comfort food for me. It is moist, creamy, cheesy, and tasty. The tomato-based sauce is made from scratch –worthy of praise. Between sheets of pasta you can also find diced carrot. What a clever way to include vegetables in one’s diet.

Steamed Herbal Fish

A special confinement menu is curated for new mums, providing a higher energy and protein content, packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. This helps to meet the increased nutritional demands that lactating mums require.

The main component of this meal – the fish, dory, with the succulence of grouper – is imbued with a distinct herbal flavour that does not obscure the delicate sweetness of the fish. There is no trace of bitterness at all. Very well executed I must say.

Also noteworthy is the herbal chicken soup, which is ethereally light but superbly tasty –not oily at all.

Visit http://www.rafflesmedicalgroup.com/ for more information, like their Facebook page at and follow them on twitter at .