– Missouri’s prison labor force produces around 100 tons of fresh produce annually
– The majority of this produce benefits local charities
– Prisoners have complained about inadequate and unappealing meal portions
– Food quality reportedly declined further with the introduction of a new food service contractor
Missouri Prisoners Tend Gardens But Reap Little Benefit
In an ironic twist of fate, volunteer prison labor throughout Missouri produces around 100 tons of fresh produce annually, the lion’s share of which goes to local charities rather than the prisoners themselves. Despite their hard work tending to the gardens that bear the fruits (and vegetables), the offenders are voicing out their dissatisfaction about the nutritional content of their meals.
Dissatisfaction with Institutional Food
The prisoners have raised issues about an excess of bologna and a lack of fresh food in their diets, coupled with serving sizes they perceive as being too small and bland. Their complaints have escalated in the wake of a new food service contractor taking over, which they claim led to a sharp decline in food quality.
Unlike the nutritious, fresh produce they grow, the offenders are at the mercy of institutionally-provided meals. This contradiction, they argue, is both unjust and detrimental to their health and well-being.
The Role of Contracted Food Services
Since the new contractor took over the prison food services, discontent among the prisoners over meal quality has surged. They opine that the shift from in-house to contracted out food services has been to their detriment, both in terms of portion sizes and food variety.
The Breezy Take
From fields to local charities, while the fruits of Missouri prisoners’ labor are appreciated on dining tables throughout the community, the laborers themselves are grappling with dietary dissatisfaction. The shift to outsourced meal services seems to have exacerbated these shortcomings, prompting a hard look at the incongruity between what they produce and what they consume. Here’s hoping the powers that be hear their dietary distress call and respond with reforms that boost the nutritional value of prison meals.
Original article: https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/05/missouri-prisoners-say-food-went-from-bad-to-worse-when-contractor-took-over/