Ekka favourites on the menu at STARS

Patient Kay enjoying the Ekka inspired menu at STARS.

One of the most vivid memories that people have of attending the Ekka is the food. Everyone has a favourite, from the cheese toasties, fairy floss, dagwood dogs and of course the iconic Strawberry Sundaes.

Allied Health Assistant Kristy Pak explains how STARS Dietetics and Food Services devised a menu of Ekka inspired food for patients.

“For many of our patients Ekka is an important tradition which they look forward to every year. They are so close to the Ekka showgrounds here but can’t attend, so we decided to bring the taste of Ekka to them,” said Kristy.

“The menu for the Wednesday public holiday included the option of a dagwood dog chef special, served with the obligatory tomato sauce and a yummy strawberry sundae for dessert.”

The thoughtfully prepared meals were very well received by patients with many commenting on how exciting the day was with the special menu.

“This brought back so many wonderful memories of attending the Ekka in person. The flavours and the effort to recreate the experience meant a lot to me,” said patient Kay.

The Dietetics and Food Services Team regularly plan special menu items to reflect occasions throughout the year including NAIDOC week and Christmas. At Christmas time, patients have a festive menu which includes Christmas favourites including ham, turkey and plum pudding and a Christmas cracker.

“Some of our rehabilitation patients at STARS are here for long period of time so anything we can do to bring some variety to the menu and make it a little bit special is always welcomed,” said Kristy.