Disgruntled patient complains about tiny, poorly-cooked schnitzel served at regional SA hospital

A frustrated SA hospital patient has received a backlash after posting their underwhelming schnitty to social media – so what’s really wrong with it?

The patient said the meal was so badly cooked, even their dog wouldn’t have eaten it. Picture: Facebook/South Aussie Schnitzel Review Group

A disgruntled patient has shared the less-than-appealing meal he was served at a regional hospital – and quickly received backlash.

From the comfort of his Port Pirie Hospital bed, Steve Lewis posted a picture of his less-than-appetising meal consisting of boiled carrots, brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes and a crumbed schnitzel topped with gravy.

The meal was served with a small sachet of sea salt.

Seeing the funny side of it, Mr Lewis told The Advertiser he posted the meal to a schnitzel review group on Facebook to “give people a laugh”.

“How’s this for a beast of a schnitty,” he wrote.

But instead he was met with a very mixed response, with some commenters chiming in to give him a reality check.

“There is always private hospitals if you don’t like the food. Be thankful you get free medical care,” one commented.

The meal consisted of schnitzel, mash potatoes, gravy, brussel sprouts and carrots. Picture: Facebook/South Aussie Schnitzel Review Group

Port Pirie Hospital. Picture: File

“The sad thing is that (this) is most probably the size serving we should be eating for a healthy body weight,” another person wrote.

Mr Lewis jumped in to defend his own complaints online about the underwhelming schnitzel.

“This is ridiculous, half was like jerky, half was raw, my dog wouldn’t have eaten it,” he wrote.

“Btw (by the way) I asked the nurse what she thought and she laughed and said it was disgraceful and would have thrown it in the bin and gone hungry.”

Mr Lewis told The Advertiser he was never angry about the meal, but accepted some of the points were “valid”.

“I was a little surprised by the response, I was in no way livid, I just felt like I might be able to brighten a few peoples day with a laugh,” he said.

“I never said I was ungrateful.”

However, he maintained his opinion that it was the worst meal he’d ever had at a hospital.

“I did try eat it, but unfortunately half was tougher than a leather boot and I could barely chew it, while the other half was raw and almost felt wet,” he said.

Hospital food - Flinders by Bree Fleg. Picture: Supplied

Hospital food posted on South Aussie Schnitzel Review Group - Flinders Medical Centre by Dale de Vries. Picture: Facebook/South Aussie Schnitzel Review Group

A Yorke and Northern Local Health Network spokesman said they had ongoing food quality reviews to ensure they were meeting patients’ nutritional needs.

“We encourage patients to raise any concerns about their care - including their meals - directly with our health services staff,” he said.

The feedback for Mr Lewis wasn’t all negative though, with others posting their own photos of meals at other hospitals.

One man posted a picture of a schnitzel he received at Flinders Medical Centre that appeared undercooked.

“Flinders MC is like “hold my beer!” he wrote.

Mr Lewis has since been discharged from the hospital.

“I feel like they wanted me out of there, I’m not sure if it was because of the post,” he said.