Invercargill's mayor hopes a cook-off between Compass and the Real Meals Coalition will go ahead, and ultimately, inspire a cookbook.

Hundreds of people have been protesting the poor quality of the food served by the new provider at Dunedin Hospital.

MORE: Protesters chant 'Stop the Slop' outside Dunedin Hospital

But mayor Tim Shadbolt said Southland DHB can do better - and is encouraging a cookbook of hospital meals be made from a cook-off with local food providers.

"They'd like to be able to show off what they can produce, and what they can produce at a very modest price, and fulfilling all of these requirements as far as vitamins and minerals are concerned."

MORE: Compass challenged to a "cook off" over hospital food

He said it's a real insult that blocks of ice passing as food are shipped to one of New Zealand's biggest food producing regions.

Mr Shadbolt said if Compass can't match it, the government needs to find the clause in their 15-year contract, and scrap them.

"Any responsible organisation has a parachute clause of some sort or another, and if they won't dramatically improve what they're serving up the patients, then there'll be a loophole somewhere."