Living in prison is surely not as comfortable as outside. You will not get sleeping comfort as at your home. Also, you cannot choose what kind of food you want to eat. In the movies, you can see that the prisoners eat poor quality food. So, what is the food like in prison?
The Food in Prison
According to research, the food in prison can vary. It depends on the facility and the country. Also, prison food can vary depending on what type or level of prison you are at. Generally, prison food is depicted as being of lower quality and less variety compared to food outside of the prison.
Usually, the food in prison is made by the prisoners assigned to food service. These prisoners will cook and serve the food under the supervision of prison guards who have a background in food service. Even if you are the prisoners assigned to food service, you cannot choose the food as you want. All prisoners will get the same kind of food with the same portion.
In most prisons, the food is prepared in large quantities. Those foods will not be as fresh as foods prepared in smaller quantities. Also, those foods may be high in carbohydrates and low in vegetables and fruits. It can be hard for the prisoners to eat food items such as meat, dairy, and fresh produce. The prisoners will often eat food which is high in sodium and preservatives. Yeah, this is a terrible condition, but this is the reality of how bitter it is to live in prison.
The prisoners will be given three meals a day; breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Breakfast consists of biscuits, cereal, milk, tea and coffee sachets. Sometimes, there also will be cornbread and grits.
- Lunch might consist of a sandwich, a portion of pasta, with a couple pieces of fruit, some beans, and some steamed vegetables.
- Dinner might consist of curry, baked fish, some instant mashed potatoes, canned peas, and some canned fruit salad.
Once again, remember that the food in prison will depend on the facility, country, and type or level of the prison you are at. Some facilities provide poor quality food, while other facilities provide better food and are more worthy to eat. In addition, some facilities may not have proper kitchen equipment, resulting in poorly prepared food. However, some facilities may have a better food provision.
You do not be shocked if you see many prisoners who complain about the food in prison. As again, prison is not as comfortable as a place to pass the days of the days. Prison is a place where people get punishments due to crimes they committed. Thus, in prison, the prisoners will not find food as delicious as food at the restaurant.
Do Prisoners Get to Choose Their Meals in Prison?
In some previous paragraph, we have explained that in prison the prisoners cannot choose their meals as suit as they want. Yeah, in general, the prisoners do not have a choice at breakfast. However, in some prisons, we get information that the prisoners will be able to choose their lunch and dinner. The prisoners will get a menu earlier with some food options to choose from. Then, they can choose what kind of food they want for their lunch and dinner.
While in most prisons, the prisoners are not at all able to choose their meals. The prisoners must eat the food served in Prison and do not have the ability to choose their meals. And, the prisoners assigned to Food Service will place the same portions on every tray.
Can Prisoners Eat Twice If They’re Still Hungry?
No, they cannot. Need to know that most federal prisons have ID card scanners to make sure that each prisoner only eats once. As a prisoner, if you are caught going through the line twice, then you will get an incident report for stealing. When you are still hungry, you can buy some food off the commissary. Before you buy some food, make sure you have enough money. Aside from that, you can also buy fresh fruit, some veggies and more healthy food to avoid the poor quality of food served in prison.
A bookworm and researcher especially related to law and citizenship education. I spend time every day in front of the internet and the campus library.