This is part one in a series I'm going to call In-veg-stigation. Being a pescetarian/vegetarian/vegan is hard enough, and sometimes you'll find yourself in a place wondering if there's anything at all you can eat. So I'll check it out beforehand for you and give you some recommendations.
So if your loved one gets hit over the head with anything in Jacksonville right before lunchtime and you have to drive him/her to the hospital, you'll probably end up eating in the cafeteria at UF Health Jacksonville while you wait. I eat here somewhat frequently, as my fiance G works here.
The most recent time I ate there was on Sunday, which is a day on which I'd recommend you try not to go, just because the quite adequate salad bar (more on that later) is closed on weekends and they don't have a lot of food out.
This time the TV which usually displays a menu was off and there wasn't even a sign saying what they had. I was trying to take pictures but it was difficult because I kept getting the stink-eye from the workers.
I asked the guy at the grill station if he had any veggie burgers, as they sometimes do and they're not half bad. He said, "No, but we have turkey burgers," as if that's similar. I declined and went for the specials bar, which is usually decent.
I chose a piece of fish, some mac and cheese, and some mixed corn and lima beans. I wanted broccoli; the server said he was "Waiting on it," but I didn't want to, so corn and lima beans it was. The other items offered were chicken wings, cooked baby carrots (I'm not a fan) and mashed potatoes and gravy, which also looked okay but I can't turn down mac and cheese. If you're a pescetarian like me, this is a quite decent selection. If you're vegan, though, you're kinda screwed here as I'm sure there's butter in the corn. So, carrots, maybe? Probably butter there too, actually.
If you see some pizza at one end of this bar, I wouldn't recommend it. It never looks too good (always kinda burnt and greasy) and it's like a million calories per slice for some reason. Even the one that's just cheese.
Time to mosey on back to where G was getting his cheeseburger, which always takes a long time to get.
The toppings for the burgers always look quite fresh and appetizing.
I wanted to take a picture of the other side of the room, which has prepackaged little salads and things like those small Sabra hummus and pretzel cups and jello parfaits, but I was rushed. That side looks promising for veggies, but there are absolutely zero pre-made salads that don't have meat on them over there. It's astounding, really--every single one has chicken on it. If you want to eat caprese salad-in-a-cup or grapes and cheese, you're good though.
However, the salad bar, open Monday through Friday, is pretty decent. They have things like chickpeas, several different cheeses, nuts, berries and other things to go on them. If you're vegan, well, I hope your friend got hit on the head on a weekday.
The vegetarian's convenience store go-tos--single-serve bags of chips, granola bars, and fresh fruit--are also available here, which is good in a pinch.
Verdict: 2.5 out of 5
Some healthier options overall would improve this cafeteria, especially since, y'know, we're in a hospital. They are trying, however; when the TVs are on, they often display a calorie count beside the items available. I get why they close down the salad bar on the weekends, as there are a lot less people eating, but it does suck. Also, why are there sometimes veggie burgers? It's not as if they're making these things in-house. They're frozen. Just keeping a box of them in the back shouldn't be too hard.
Also, the food is not good (we're in a hospital, guys), but I wouldn't call it bad. I didn't finish the macaroni, and there was more oil than I'd like on the fish, but it's definitely edible.
All told, veggies should be able to find something to eat here. But don't expect many options.
So if your loved one gets hit over the head with anything in Jacksonville right before lunchtime and you have to drive him/her to the hospital, you'll probably end up eating in the cafeteria at UF Health Jacksonville while you wait. I eat here somewhat frequently, as my fiance G works here.
The most recent time I ate there was on Sunday, which is a day on which I'd recommend you try not to go, just because the quite adequate salad bar (more on that later) is closed on weekends and they don't have a lot of food out.
This time the TV which usually displays a menu was off and there wasn't even a sign saying what they had. I was trying to take pictures but it was difficult because I kept getting the stink-eye from the workers.
Sneaked a pic of the grill station though
I asked the guy at the grill station if he had any veggie burgers, as they sometimes do and they're not half bad. He said, "No, but we have turkey burgers," as if that's similar. I declined and went for the specials bar, which is usually decent.
If you see some pizza at one end of this bar, I wouldn't recommend it. It never looks too good (always kinda burnt and greasy) and it's like a million calories per slice for some reason. Even the one that's just cheese.
Time to mosey on back to where G was getting his cheeseburger, which always takes a long time to get.
The toppings for the burgers always look quite fresh and appetizing.
I wanted to take a picture of the other side of the room, which has prepackaged little salads and things like those small Sabra hummus and pretzel cups and jello parfaits, but I was rushed. That side looks promising for veggies, but there are absolutely zero pre-made salads that don't have meat on them over there. It's astounding, really--every single one has chicken on it. If you want to eat caprese salad-in-a-cup or grapes and cheese, you're good though.
However, the salad bar, open Monday through Friday, is pretty decent. They have things like chickpeas, several different cheeses, nuts, berries and other things to go on them. If you're vegan, well, I hope your friend got hit on the head on a weekday.
The vegetarian's convenience store go-tos--single-serve bags of chips, granola bars, and fresh fruit--are also available here, which is good in a pinch.
Verdict: 2.5 out of 5
Some healthier options overall would improve this cafeteria, especially since, y'know, we're in a hospital. They are trying, however; when the TVs are on, they often display a calorie count beside the items available. I get why they close down the salad bar on the weekends, as there are a lot less people eating, but it does suck. Also, why are there sometimes veggie burgers? It's not as if they're making these things in-house. They're frozen. Just keeping a box of them in the back shouldn't be too hard.
Also, the food is not good (we're in a hospital, guys), but I wouldn't call it bad. I didn't finish the macaroni, and there was more oil than I'd like on the fish, but it's definitely edible.
All told, veggies should be able to find something to eat here. But don't expect many options.
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