Lol if someone made me some homemade food I’m throwing it away, I appreciate the gesture and it’s nothing personal

Could be. Just think of it from their perspective, they probably get gifts on occasion from patients. In all reality, if it’s not a gift that would be particularly useful to them they will probably just get rid of it. A card letting them know how they personally made your experience positive might be something they keep on the corner of the desk or somewhere in the office as a nice reminder

Not a gift, a gesture. Even a thoughtful personalized card