Texas Cuts Weekend Inmate Meals to Two Per Day

[Lyric]

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Prisoners in Texas jails have been tightening their belts as the state cuts back on weekend lunches to save money.

Since April, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice has scaled back on weekend meals to two per day, eliminating lunch.

(snip)

"The decision to serve two meals on the weekend was prompted by the statewide budgetary challenges and consistent with funding decisions made by the Texas Legislature," Clark said.

Brunch is served from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., he said, and dinner is served from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/10/21/news/economy/texas_jail/index.htm?hpt=hp_t2

Apparently, inmates who've been prescribed "special diets" by a physician are exempt.

I suppose I should be shocked, but this is the Texas government we're talking about. Nothing surprises me there anymore.

[Ian David]

1. If it ends at 7 AM, it's not Brunch. Brunch should be from 9 AM to 11 AM. n/t

[Freddie Stubbs]

2. Many college cafeterias only serve 2 meals per day on the weekends

[hobbit709]

3. Yes, but you can leave the campus.

[CreekDog]

8. dumbest comment in the thread!

[Ezlivin]

4. But they do let them out to forage after dark

N/T

[crazyjoe]

5. I only eat twice a day, every day.

I really don't have a problem with this. This country has a huge problem with obesity, because people eat too friggin much. I lost allot of weight over the last few years once I educated myself on how much food the human body really needs to function and be healthy.
Plus, this is just 2 days a week according to the article, no big deal.

[hobbit709]

6. Just how many obese prisoners do you see compared to the general population.

the one has nothing to do with the other.

[crazyjoe]

12. I don't know what your point is, prisoners are givin a healthy, well rounded diet.

They are not able to stuff there faces with unnecessary amounts of food.

[hobbit709]

13. you're the one that brought up obesity.

and tried to tie the prison diet with the national obesity problem.

[crazyjoe]

16. I only compare the two to demonstrate my point that we as a nation eat too much.

[hobbit709]

22. Which has nothing to do with the OP.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

9. And you will probably go back to being fat. You should be eating ...

.... more than twice a day. Several SMALL meals.

[crazyjoe]

11. Wow, what an unkind thing to say. Several small meals is fine

for keeping hunger pangs away, but the fact is that is too much work, and most people who try to do that can't stick with it. It's just not sustainable.
At least that's what I have found because I did try that.
When I spoke with my doctor about it, he said to me that I just need to take in less calories than i burn, and i will lose weight. I thought that seemed to basic based on all the complicated diet plans out there, and I did ask him about the several small meals.
He just repeated his statement, "you need to take in less calories than you burn, however you accomplish this, it is the only way to lose weight".
Guess what, I've lost 80+ pounds over the last 2 years by simply counting calories.
So, no, I will not go back to being fat based on my 2200 to 2400 calorie a day intake, but thanks for the words of support.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

14. What an unkind thing to say?

You are the person OK with forced diets for prisoners because some non-existent prison obesity problem. Here's a clue for you: Texas isn't doing this for the prisoner's health.

And, FYI, spreading out meals has nothing to do with "keeping hunger pangs away." It has to do with keeping one's metabolism up.

[crazyjoe]

15. Here's a clue for you genius, I never said they were doing it for

the prisoners health, and i never said there was a prison obesity problem. Anything else you want to make up? I've lost 80lbs counting calories, so excuse me if I don't care what you think about keeping ones metabolism up.
FYI, very few people have the time or energy to eat small meals every couple hours, like i said, it's not sustainable. But i'm sure you've been doing it for years and you are the picture of health. Before you leave for work every day (?) you prepare yourself 3 or 4 small meals and pack them up for the day, right?
Get a clue.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

20. "I really don't have a problem with this"

And here I thought you were concerned about prisoner health. You were just being an asshole. Carry on.

[crazyjoe]

28. Ah, name calling. Now i understand your lack of intelligence.

[Tsiyu]

21. So why did you bring it up in this thread?

There are forums where you can discuss your weight loss and be all proud.

We are talking about confined wards of the state having their meals cut.

I found your comments self-centered AND insensitive, AND derailing the actual content of this thread.

And then you call someone else rude? Interesting.

[quinnox]

7. There are places to buy snacks in the prison

So if on the weekend these prisoners get hungry they can buy snacks, its not as if they will starve.

[coalition_unwilling]

18. That sounds suspiciously like Marie Antoinette to me, and I would like to

think that you're speaking tongue in cheek.

If not, what about those inmates who don't have any money?

[quinnox]

19. Often prisoners will have friends/loved ones

who will bring them food or money. I'm sure the weekend visit rates are going like gangbusters ever since this policy was introduced.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

23. Maybe we can act more like third world countries and have the families feed...

... their loved ones through the bars.

[cutlassmama]

24. MANY of the prisioners don't have family and/or money to buy snacks

with. What are they supposed to do? It's not like they can just go get a job in order to eat.

This is cruel and unusual punishment while the Governor sits in a rented mansion not worrying about where his next meal is coming from.

Disgusting!

[quinnox]

25. It is hard for me to work up much sympathy for rapists and killers

I tend to take a hard line when it comes to crime and punishment.

If these prisoners hadn't done their crimes, they wouldn't have to face the many unpleasant and undignified facts of life in a prison.

[hobbit709]

26. you think those are the only ones in jail?

there's plenty of people there for things like possession.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

27. Not to mention innocent people.

[Upton]

10. Big deal..

no matter how many meals a day they get, prisoners are going to supplement their diet with food from the canteen anyway.

Heck, why not release all the non violent drug offenders and just keep those who have actually harmed somebody else...then they'll have plenty of food..

[blueamy66]

17. Thanks, you said it for me.

Heck, they get Frito's and corn nuts and Twinkies and Ramen noodles.

And the "well rounded diet" post.....I laugh.