Services Provided

Catering Services Provided

Staff Canteen

The staff canteen located beside the Chapel, offers a full range of meals.   Hot and Cold items are available daily. It is estimated that approx. 1800 people use the staff facilities daily.

Monday to Friday

Breakfast:        07:00 -11:30                            Lunch:              12:00 – 15:00        

Teas:                17:30 – 19:00                          Night Meal:     00:30 - 02:00

Weekends & Bank Holidays

Breakfast:        09:30 -11:30                            Lunch:             12.00 – 15:00        

                                                                        Night Meal      00:30 - 02:00

Fastnet Coffee House

The Fastnet Coffee offering includes Barista served Coffee Menu.

Savoury Breakfast bites and a selection of Salads and Sandwiches for Lunch.

Daily Specials, Cakes and Coffees available all day.

Open: Monday to Friday 08:00 -16:00 

Meeting Room Catering

We cater for all in house meetings. Please contact the Main Catering Office for details 021 4922172

Patient Information for Catering Services

All patient meals are produced in the main kitchen freshly every day and transported to wards in food trolleys. The meals are kept hot by means of a heated base. At ward level tea, coffee, toast, fruit, yogurts, rice, custard pots, cheese and crackers and a selection of juices are available 24 hours a day. Water is available at all times and served regularly throughout the day.

A variety of special diets are requested daily by wards for patients and a dedicated team of chefs and dieticians cater for these. Menus available for patients are:

Special Dietary Menu Plans requested from Dieticians are also catered for should a patient have specific needs not catered for in the 15 menus provided.

Ward Meal Times

Allergen Information:

All the choices on the patient meal menus have been coded for their allergen content. There is an allergen chart on the back of each menu showing what number relates to. There are 14 allergens. Further information is available on the ward so that patients can make appropriate choices from the menu. If a patient needs to avoid other foods, the Catering Department will be able to advise on an appropriate selection of foods available.

Visitor Information

There is a range of coffee docs and cafes in the main hospital and maternity hospital for visitors to access food and beverages. The coffee docs provide a range of fresh scones, pastries, sandwiches, tea, coffee and other refreshments. Fastnet café provides a range of hot and cold bites for breakfast and lunch/ evening options. The staff canteen also caters for visitors.

CUH:

• KSG Coffee Doc located via the main hospital entrance in the Cardiac-Renal Building
• KSG Coffee Doc located via the rear hospital entrance near A&E Department and Outpatients Department
• Fastnet Café located via main entrance, ground floor, beside entrance to CUH Church
• Staff Canteen located via main entrance, ground floor, beside entrance to security

CUMH:

• Bagel Cafe/Juice Bar and Coffee Doc are located adjacent to the Entrance Foyer

Catering & Food Service Sustainability

CUH is a recipient of the Green flag by an Taisce and the Foundation of Environmental Education (FEE). This award is in recognition of the commitment of the Executive Management Board in developing CUH as a healthcare facility that delivers high quality care, improved public health and wellbeing without exhausting natural resources or causing ecological damage. The progress made in energy waste and water speak for themselves with landfill waste reductions of 205 tonnes energy reductions of 1.85KWh and water down 9500m3. 

Useful Links:

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland

Safe food

Irish Heart Foundation – The National Heart and Stroke Charity

Ireland's Health Services - HSE.ie

Irish Nutrition & Dietetic Institute (INDI)

Frequently asked questions about our food patient service

1. Why is nutrition important to me in hospital?

When you are ill you may need more energy, protein, vitamins and minerals than usual to help you recover. Food gives your body energy, protein, vitamins and minerals

2. What is nutrition screening?

Nutrition screening is where a nurse or other member of staff checks your height and weight and asks about any recent changes in your weight and appetite. This will tell us if you are getting enough nutrition to meet your needs. Screening is done when you are admitted and then once a week.

3. What if I am not meeting my nutritional needs?

If you are not meeting your nutritional needs, we will start you on a plan to improve this. We will note down what you are eating to see if you are getting enough energy and protein. A dietician may assess and advise you.

4. What times are meals served?

See above for details. During meal times, we want you to eat and drink as much as you can. We try to reduce interruptions while you are eating.

5. What is the Regular /General Hospital diet?

The regular hospital diet provides three meals and two snacks each day. There is a variety of food choices. The regular hospital diet contains the nourishment you need to help you recover.

6. What if I have a food allergy?

If you have a known food allergy, please tell nursing staff when you are admitted. Our menus show the allergens on each menu choice to help you make safe food choices. There is an allergen chart on the back of each menu.

7. Why am I given information about allergens in my food?

Irish law requires that consumers are told about the allergens in their food.

8. What should I do if I have a specific dietary need?

If you need a therapeutic diet, please tell one of the nurses when you are admitted. They can give you one of the following diets as appropriate. See above>

We can provide meals if you have a cultural, ethnic or religious dietary requirement. If you have difficulties using normal cutlery, we can give you specially-adapted cutlery, just let us know.

9. What if I have difficulty swallowing?

Please tell nursing staff when you are admitted if you are on a texture-modified diet (changes to the texture of your food) or thickened drinks.

Textured modified diets you can get in CUH are:

Level 6 - Soft and bite-sized meals, Level 5 - Minced and moist meals

Level 4 – Pureed meals, Level 3 – Liquidised meals

If you find it hard to swallow or if you notice coughing or choking when you eat or drink, a Speech and Language Therapist may assess you and may prescribe changes to the texture of the food you eat. They will tell the Catering Department if you need a modified food texture.

10. What if I need help during mealtimes?

If you need help to eat and drink, please tell us when you are being admitted. Nursing and health care staff will help you to eat. If you have dentures, please, bring them with you.

11. How do I order meals?

Health Care staff will come to your bedside and will give you a menu of the food choices available each day. You will then mark your choices on the menu and Health Care staff will collect the menu from you and send down to the kitchen. If there is nothing on the menu you like, we will try our best to suit your food preferences. Please notify the Health Care Assistant of any dietary requirements.

12. Does the menu change?

Yes, there is a different menu each day which meets the guidelines of the nutrition and hydration policy.

13. Will I get snacks between my meals?

Yes, snack rounds will be provided daily at 10am and 8pm also snack items are available 24 hours a day at ward level just ask.

14. How will I get water to drink?

We provide water jugs and we will replace them twice daily unless you need thickened fluids. If you require more just ask.

15. What if I miss a meal for a test or a therapy?

If you miss a meal, catering staff will provide you with a replacement meal.

16. What if I am asked to fast?

If you are asked to fast for a medical reason, the health care team will be informed. They will not take your order until you have finished fasting.

17. Hand hygiene

Please wash and sanitise your hands before meals. Please ask a member of staff if you need assistance.

18. Are the meals made in the hospital?

Yes, the food is cooked fresh daily and is plated in our kitchen. It is served from a trolley on the ward.

19. Why can’t I eat my meal when I feel hungry or when I’m ready for it?

The hospital kitchen prepares meals for hundreds of patients every day. These meals have to be kept either very hot or very cold to stop germs growing. The kitchen can’t keep food safely at these temperatures for long, so to keep the food safe to eat, please eat your meal when you get it.

20. Why do my sandwiches always taste cold?

We keep them at a low temperature to prevent germs and to keep food safe to eat.

We are always trying to provide the best possible service. Please give us your feedback.