FOR years it's been the butt of many a joke between patients.

Some have even gone as far as asking relatives to sneak tasty food parcels to them in their hospital beds so they don't go hungry.

Now TV presenter and well-known foodie Loyd Grossman is on a crusade to make hospital nosh more palatable - and his verdict on the dinners being dished up at Southampton General Hospital is "delicious!"

Every day catering staff at the Southampton University's NHS Trust prepare 6,000 meals for patients, staff and visitors - and award-winning chefs from the city's hospital have helped shape menus nationwide.

Loyd visited the wards yesterday as part of a nationwide tour of hospitals to check out the different standard of meals on offer. He said: "I really want to get away from tepid, tan coloured food that is served when people don't want it. Food should look good and be served at the right temperature - it shouldn't be that uninteresting tan colour."

Loyd is hoping that all hospitals will eventually produce food that meets a minimum standard.

Loyd tried the poached hoki in a cheese sauce and the chicken escalope with a tomato and coriander sauce followed by chocolate and orange bread and butter pudding - and he declared they were all "delicious".

That's what featured on Tuesday's menu at the General, but there's also a chance to sample a curry and onion bhaji when Indian dishes are served up once a week.

Up on ward F7, he chatted with patients while they ate their lunch and listened to their comments.

Patient James MacLellan, of Keynsham Road, Bitterne, said: "The food is pretty good. There's plenty of variety and I have been given good portions. I really like the goulash and stew - they were very tasty."