Guess the Newest Chic Place to Eat Healthy

Posted by markdegen on February 23, 2008 11:03 AM PST

Recommend this? YES NO

If you guessed, the big house, the can, the slammer or the pen you win! How about diner for two?

A new, healthy menu at New York City's jails will no longer be serving sweets or butter. If you were previously a fat cat, you won't be anymore because whole milk is history at the can cafe, skim milk only. The Department of Corrections is only approving healthy alternatives.

Here's a menu sample at the can cafe. A breakfast might include fresh fruit, whole wheat bread and wheat flakes. For diner, pepper steak, rice and steamed carrots.

"These people are in our custody, and they don't get to make their own choices," said Department of Correction Commissioner Martin Horn. "We have a moral obligation to make sound choices for them."

Initially I thought to myself this is going to cost taxpayers a fortune to ensure criminals eat healthy. It's reported the healthier menu costs the city as much as the previous one, which had included white bread and sweetened drinks. Horn says, "In the long run it may cost the city less."

Only in America

Mark Degen, BS, ACSM, ACE, LMT

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2 Comments

Perhaps they will be healthier in the long run and cost taxpayers less money in the form of health care. Maybe by eating healthier, they will have less high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease to name a few. These can be costly as we all know. It would be interesting to follow up with a study that reveals how much is spent on preventable health issues now and follow the inmates now to see if it makes a difference! Thanks for the interesting info!
Apryl DeLancey || http://apryldelancey.blogspot.com/ ||

Posted by Apryl on February 23, 2008 12:32 PM PST

Apryl,

I would bet the house that the City of New York will conduct a study testing the efficacy of serving nutrtitious foods to inmates. There's no question that eating healthy improves ones health and lowers the risk of the diseases you mentioned. This change is for the better and will ultiamtely reduce costs to treat sick inmates. I added only in America because every now and then you hear someone bash our country that it's so terrible. I really can't think of a place on the planet where their government would be so concerned with the health and well being of their criminals.

Mark Degen, BS, ACSM, ACE, LMT