Roast lamb and chicken on Christmas Day menu

16/12/2011 | Christmas Day Menu

Roast lamb and chicken served with roast vegetables, baby carrots and beans; steamed plum pudding with brandy sauce; or sugar free jelly and fruit, will be served to patients spending Christmas Day at Wanganui and Palmerston North Hospitals.

Around 200 patients in Palmerston North, 100 in Wanganui, and another 20 at Horowhenua Health Centre, will be offered the festive menu prepared by Spotless Facility Services kitchen staff.

Festive vegetable frittata and plum sauce is the second option for the main, with a Christmas treat box, or nuts to complete the lunch menu.

Dinner in the evening will start with roast pumpkin soup followed by one of three options: hot glazed ham (with steamed gourmet potatoes and tossed salad), a turkey and cranberry sandwich (with salad items) or lentil loaf and capsicum chutney.

Patients will have the choice of three evening desserts – pavlova and berries, stewed fruit, or jelly and ice cream. Cheese and crackers, or fruit yoghurt, will be served for supper.

On Christmas Eve patients will be offered Christmas “treats” served on trays with a festive theme. And Christmas Day will begin with croissants and fruit toast added to the breakfast menu.

Around 200 Meals on Wheels recipients (90 people in Palmerston North, 80 in Whanganui, 20 in Feilding, and another 20 in the Levin/Foxton/Otaki areas) will receive the same menu as hospital patients.

And hospital staff working on Christmas Day will be offered a similar menu of roast pumpkin soup followed by roast lamb and gravy or glazed ham-on-the-bone with vegetables; cold roast turkey and cranberry sauce served with tossed salad and pasta salad; or warm roasted vegetables, spinach and feta salad.

Desserts will be either warm plum pudding and brandy sauce, or individual pavlova, cream and berries.

Contacts: Whanganui District Health Board Senior Communications & Media Advisor Susan Campion, telephone (06) 348 3170; or MidCentral District Health Board Communications spokesperson Dennis Geddis (06) 350-8900.