The average prisoner has three meals a day, but the truth is that prisoners are not served a balanced diet. Prisoners are given insufficient portions of food and sometimes even Jell-O. It’s no wonder that prisons have an issue with inmate violence. And, the food in prison is often inorganic. Prisons are also known to serve insufficient portions, leading to inmate violence.

Three meals a day

Texas prison officials have stopped serving lunch and dinner on the weekends in an effort to cut food service costs. That means that the state’s 23,000 prisoners are only getting two meals per day: breakfast and dinner. But what will happen to these meals? If prison officials continue to cut back on the number of meals they serve, will inmates still be able to survive on three meals a day? Texas prison officials are considering changing the meals they serve to a more basic version, such as powdered milk.

Texas prison officials are experimenting with healthier food options for prisoners. The heart-healthy option, for example, is supposed to have lower sodium and cholesterol. And instead of white bread and potatoes, the meals are made from wheat bread. The heart-healthy option is also offered to inmates who have special dietary needs, like diabetes or cardiovascular disease. The heart-healthy meal has a higher protein content. Prisoners may ask to have it during their prison stay, but they are not expected to eat it.

Jell-O is the only food a prisoner gets

Bill Cosby’s recent arrest for sex abuse has cast a dark shadow over the Jell-O company and its celebrity endorser. The company has worked with Cosby for decades, starting in 1974 when he was an inmate. Although he was inducted into the hall of fame of the American Advertising Federation, he was found guilty of a sex offense. Despite his wrongful conviction, Bill Cosby is still associated with the product.

Inmate nutrition has become such a problem that legislators have proposed reducing the minimum number of meals a prisoner gets each day to two. Despite these concerns, prison officials are increasingly outsourcing food services to private companies to cut costs. But despite this, inmate complaints and lawsuits have been a source of frustration with prison menus. While the food is considered recreation by prison guards, inmates are often denied enough variety to be satisfied with it. Some prisons have begun to add more macaroni to goulash to compensate for the lack of fruit.

Inorganic food is served

The Department of Corrections follows a 4-week cycle that provides prisoners with a variety of menu items and entrees that meet the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), which are established by the Food and Nutrition Board. The Department of Corrections’ meals are based on this cycle, with portions corresponding to the caloric requirements of an average, moderately active adult. The menus are reviewed by a registered dietitian to ensure they meet the nutritional requirements of the inmate population.

Prison food has a negative impact on self-esteem and physical health. The COVID-19 pandemic has only made the problem worse. Inmates also complain about the menus. Some inmates consider these food choices a form of recreation. Some would not mind if their prisoner only ate Jell-O. Regardless, it is still a good idea for prison officials to make the food as healthy as possible.

Insufficient portions lead to inmate violence

Researchers at Marshall University and Impact Justice have linked insufficient portions of prisoners’ meals to violent prison environments. They note that the prison kitchen staff warned the warden about a budget cut and was not aware that the food shortage was driving violent behavior among inmates. They say the prison kitchen is a covert mechanism of dominance and forms the basis for more gratuitous practices such as physical abuse. The authors hope their findings will lead to changes in prison food management.

Prison food systems are deeply intertwined with the political economy of carceral institutions. The report outlines three primary causes of increased prison violence, and provides evidence to support these findings. Prisons must do more to improve the nutritional condition of inmates and address the causes of inmate violence. Insufficient portions of meals are just one contributing factor. The other factors include overcrowding, poor staffing levels, and a lack of segregation. The prisons are run by prisoners and their violence against staff is a direct result of these conditions.

Inorganic food is served at higher-security prisons

Inorganic food is an option for US prisoners who are incarcerated in a high-security prison, but it is not always available. Prisons emphasize saving money over food quality, and it is unclear whether organic food is available at these institutions. Prisons’ inmates have little say in the food served to them, and many have reported poor health and even loss of weight. Despite the potential health benefits of organic food, it is not always possible to ensure that food served to them is safe.

While most prison systems are just beginning their sustainability programs, the success of Philadelphia’s prison system is inspiring. The prison system, which didn’t recycle 10 years ago, has invested in a composting system and an organic farm. Inmates enrolled in the organic agriculture vocational program at the prison earn a certificate in organic agriculture from Temple University. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney praised the prison for diverting more than 600 tons of food waste from landfills, and the Environmental Protection Agency’s national food recovery challenge recognizes its success.