Chants included ''Kick Compass Out'' and placards included ''Where's Your Moral Compass''.
Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt told the crowd Otago and Southland stood together to save neurosurgical services in 2010, and would win the fight against the poor quality hospital food.
Emergency department specialist Dr John Chambers said Christmas had been ''cancelled'' at Dunedin Hospital last year, as the usual special meal did not happen, and the canteen was closed.
Staff were left with meals to reheat, and it was unlike any other Christmas at the hospital, he said.
The former board member said he did not want to speak to the crowd about Southern DHB outsourcing vote, but protesters' placards included ''John Chambers is a hero'', referring to his vote against the outsourcing.
Real Meals Coalition spokeswoman Anna Huffstuttler announced that a public meeting would be held in three weeks in Dunedin to present a petition to the health board.
Dunedin South MP Clare Curran, Grey Power Otago president Jo Millar, E Tu convenor Andrew Tait, New Zealand First MP Ria Bond, and mental health activist Scout Barbour-Evans also addressed the crowd, along with three former hospital patients.
Dunedin Hospital patient Christine Ashton and her family attended the protest, and told the Otago Daily Times about Mrs Ashton's six-week stay in hospital.
Her family are bringing her two meals per day, as the food is ''inedible''.
