The Doctor José Molina Orosa Hospital in Lanzarote will renew its kitchen service for the next four years. The tender, already published in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands (BOC), "has a maximum budget of 4,197,600 euros, with which the company winning the public tender must supply daily breakfasts, lunches, snacks and dinners to the hospital's patients until 2021", according to reports from the Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands.
The Management of Molina Orosa has explained, for its part, that "around 5,000 meals are served per month in the center, the vast majority of which (94%) are basal or normal diets; 4.8%, liquid diets; and 0.45%, enteral (to be supplied through a tube)". A service in which currently work, between head chefs, dieticians, cooks, kitchen assistants and cleaners, 23 people.
Patients on a basal diet can choose from a mini menu between two first courses, two second courses and two desserts, both for lunch and dinner. According to a statement from the Ministry of Health, "the most popular dish on that daily menu is meat stew, a dish that, like all in Molina Orosa, is made in the hospital's own kitchens."
"This in situ preparation avoids transport and reduces the handling of food that will be served to patients," they said from Health. Several times a year, in addition, the menus vary and are dressed up to commemorate special occasions, such as Christmas, New Year's Eve or Canary Islands Day, occasions in which ingredients from the land are added or different recipes are prepared, such as the typical Canarian ones on May 30, to liven up the patients' stay in the center.
They have also pointed out from Health that, "daily, before starting the distribution of meals, a dietitian supervises all the dishes, guaranteeing the nutritional contributions, the quantity, the temperature and the type of ideal diet for each patient." Once the trays are prepared, they are distributed within the hours of each meal, which begin every day at 8:00 in the morning with breakfast and end at 7:00 in the afternoon, the time at which dinner begins to be served.
