During the four years that I was at Leavenworth, the food really didn’t change much. Yes there were days when some of the meals sucked, but in general, the fruit and produce were normally fresh and pleasant tasting, meats such as hamburgers, chicken, pork and fish were of good quality, and on the weekends we were served brunch with eggs made-to-order (I always order mine over-easy), along with toast, bacon, ham, or sausage links, and hash browns. As for dessert, cakes and pastries made fresh in the prison bakery were the norm, with the exception being on the days when ice cream was served. There did come a time, however, when the ice-cream machines were taken out, a move made by the new warden, Mr. Mickey Ray.
In 2002 I was transferred to Lewisburg and the quality of food pretty-much remained the same, the main difference being that Lewisburg did not utilize their bakery like Leavenworth did, but instead opted to purchase items locally. The most significant changes that occurred during my stay at Lewisburg was the removal of the soda-fountain, followed by the BOP-wide termination of eggs to-order during the brunch meals on the weekends.
In 2010, after being transferred to the Butner Federal Correctional Institution (FCI 1) in Butner, an Associate Warden by the name of Deborah Gonzalez informed the inmates population that “Michelle Obama” was going to make us “healthy again.” Specifically, all Food service Departments within the BOP were changing over to a “National Menu,” one in which an approved menu, receipts, and product specifications, would be used for food procurement, preparations and meal service at all institutions. (BOP Policy Statement 3 4007.05) Additionally we were informed that, over time, fried-food would be phased out the BOP entirely.
Indeed, on or about September 13, 20011, the BOP went to one centralized menu. Many institutions, including the one in which I am currently housed, FCI Terre Haute, no longer serve fried food or any sort.
Which brings me full circle to the recent quote made by BOP Spokesman Edmon Ross: “People (inmates) are more health conscious these days. Some chose to be vegetarian or vegans.”