Two boiled potatoes: This is what a vegan patient was dished up for dinner at the Royal Adelaide Hospital

THERE’S more food fury being dished out at the Royal Adelaide Hospital — when one visitor saw what was served to her vegan mate, she was so gobsmacked she had to act.

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AN upset visitor has lifted the lid on another unpalatable patient food experience at the Royal Adelaide Hospital — a vegan meal that consisted of two potatoes.

After months of repeated patient complaints about the standard of food being dished out at the $2.3 billion hospital, the sad food pictures — and experiences — continue to roll in.

Alexia Carvalho, 20, of Mawson Lakes, was visiting her friend, Bailey Thompson, 19, at the hospital during dinner service and was dismayed by the meal that was dished out by the RAH’s food contractor, Spotless.

She was so offended by the offering, which included two steamed potatoes as the main course, she penned a short note exclaiming her dismay in the hope management would see it.

Also included in the “meal” was a fruit cup, a bread roll and an apple juice.

“Didn’t realise it would be so hard to add some boiled vegetables and steamed rice,” she wrote.

“Nice to know how you guys accommodate for your patients with specific dietary requirements. Thanks.”

The offending Royal Adelaide Hospital meal of two boiled potatoes. Picture: Supplied.

But for food brought in to the hospital by Mr Thompson’s mum, he would have gone hungry.

“I was so upset (by the meal) ... I was shaking when I wrote it (the note),” Ms Carvalho said.

“I was fuming, he’s in there (the RAH) to recover and food plays a big part in that.

“I reckon I’m going to email the Spotless group, which caters for the hospital, and just be like ‘is this normal?’.

“It felt like it (the meal) was something last minute that had been thrown together.”

A letter of disgust over patient meals at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Picture: Supplied.

Ms Carvalho was so angered by the food, she posted a picture of Mr Thompson’s meal on Facebook where it quickly attracted more than 100 comments and likes.

Mr Thompson, who is in hospital due to fluid on his lungs from fractured ribs, said he had lost 5kg during his eight-day admission.

“It (the food) probably hasn’t helped for sure — it's one of the more important parts of getting better,” he said.

A vegan diet excludes food including meat, poultry and seafood, as well as eggs and dairy products.

During his stay, Mr Thompson said he had been served up “slop”, including bean stew.

“It’s been the same thing (food) everyday,” he said.

The Advertiser has revealed stories on wildly varying food experiences at the RAH, with patients describing the food as looking like “bark chips” and “something their dog threw up that morning”.

The food being dished up to patients at the new Royal Adelaide Hospital. Picture: Leon Byner/5AA.

All the hospital’s food is cooked off site and served by food contractor Spotless, who has signed a contact for the job, which includes hospital cleaning and gardening maintenance, for 30 years.

The food being dished up to patients at the new Royal Adelaide Hospital. Picture: Supplied.

The food being dished up to patients at the new Royal Adelaide Hospital. Picture: Supplied.

In October last year, the Health Department said they were working closely with Spotless to “improve the quality of meals”.

The Advertiser has contacted SA Health for comment.