# Why do the British bring grapes to people "in hospital"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 26, 2024, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379 "2024-06-26T23:13:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/1 "2024-06-26T23:13:33Z")
Just curious. Once my wife and I noticed this, it seems like it comes up every single time someone is in the hospital in a British TV series. Plus, we see regular stories on other sites with Brits saying something like, “My Mum was in hospital, so my son and I were buying some flowers and grapes for her.” Please note that I have absolutely no issues with buying grapes for hospitalized people, but it does seem a bit peculiar to this non-Brit. A fruit basket? Sure. My wife would want bananas. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/2 "2024-06-26T23:23:38Z")
The only context I can think of for bringing grapes as a gift in English literature was a nobleman sending grapes from his personal hothouse as a luxury (possibly out of season?). Maybe there’s a perception that grapes are easy to digest for an invalid. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/3 "2024-06-27T05:46:15Z")
If they took them somewhere else, they wouldn’t be able to eat them. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/4 "2024-06-27T06:43:28Z")
More thoughtful than the alternative of hard boiled eggs and nuts ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/5 "2024-06-27T06:45:31Z")
Well, there are no peels to deal with. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/6 "2024-06-27T06:48:46Z")
Easy to handle, hassle-free, you can snack on a bunch of grapes over a longer period, and you can share them with hospital staff. And then, at some point, it turned into a tradition that people continue just for the tradition, with no particular logic behind it. ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/7 "2024-06-27T06:53:21Z")
Hmm, that helps explain a comment on the Beatles’ [_Live at the BBC_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_at_the_BBC_(Beatles_album)) album, which contains some on-air banter. If I recall correctly, they mention that Ringo has been in hospital, and John says in a funny voice, “We brought you the flowers. And the grapes!” ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/8 "2024-06-27T06:53:33Z")
Being fruit, they look more “healthy” than sweets, and traditionally a special treat. A whole fruit basket would be a bit ostentatious and leaves more debris and clutter. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/9 "2024-06-27T07:17:58Z")
I’m definitely ordering grapes if I go to the hospital. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/10 "2024-06-27T08:15:27Z")
At this point it’s a cliché, I’m not sure many people _actually_ take grapes to hospital visits, but it does make sense in being a healthy snack that’s easy to handle and digest, and doesn’t create debris for staff to deal with. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/11 "2024-06-27T09:14:03Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > [grapes] make sense in being a healthy snack that’s easy to handle and digest, and doesn’t create debris for staff to deal with. ⁢ So y’all don’t give grapes on the vine? ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/12 "2024-06-27T09:18:47Z")
“Fruit baskets” are not a thing in the UK. Most people rarely visit hospital patients, but feel that it’s expected to not arrive empty-handed, so what do you take? Chocolates, alcohol etc are obviously out, so fruit is a good choice. So, what fruit? Apples can be tricky, especially for older patients. Better avoid fruit that needs peeling, so no oranges or bananas. Grapes are cheap, readily available and easy to eat. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/13 "2024-06-27T09:31:44Z")
I imagine they’re also easier to share with the other 20 people in your room. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/14 "2024-06-27T09:38:49Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > So y’all don’t give grapes on the vine? We do! But a little twig is less messy than a banana skin or orange peel ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/15 "2024-06-27T10:07:23Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > Chocolates, alcohol etc are obviously out, so fruit is a good choice. Alcohol I see, but why no chocolate? Because that’s what I use to bring and often got brought when I was in a hospital. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/16 "2024-06-27T10:10:36Z")
Because you’re in hospital and supposed to be working on getting better! So eating healthy food. But of course, grapes are not compulsory, or even that common, despite the trope. My Dad favoured chocolate biscuits. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/17 "2024-06-27T10:31:43Z")
Yeah, compared to larger fruits and/or fruits that need peeling or leave a core or stone, grapes are really simple - you eat as many as you want and when you’ve had enough, you stop - and what remains is only the stalk and some more intact grapes for later - no sticky hands, no waste to dispose of, no chance of wasting any by preparing more than you find you can eat. Imagine if the convention was watermelon… ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/18 "2024-06-27T11:14:21Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > Chocolates, alcohol etc are obviously out, My daughter (a nurse) worked in an inner city hospital in Virginia in the OB department. It was very common to find empty Courvoisier bottles in rooms. Technically grapes I guess, but more processed. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/19 "2024-06-27T11:58:28Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Technically grapes I guess, but more processed. Mitch Hedberg: “I saw a wino eating grapes. I was like, ‘Dude, you have to wait.’” ---
**Author:** ![2\_More\_Bits](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2_more_bits/32/4148_2.png) [@2\_More\_Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2_More_Bits)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379/20 "2024-06-27T12:10:23Z")
The song [A Thousand Little Downers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0BCs5pncNo) by Bell X1 (A wonderful band from Ireland) has this lyric: When you’re poorly I’ll bring you flowers and grapes, Flowers and grapes When you’re poorly And eat them myself One more little downer [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-british-bring-grapes-to-people-in-hospital/1003379.md?page=2)