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The Christmas prison menu looks tempting enough on paper, but the Corrections Department insists there will be nothing lavish about what the day holds for those locked up.
Corrections principal operations adviser Lance Alexander said while Christmas would be acknowledged, it would be low key and there would be no visits from family members.
Prisoners could, however, receive approved gifts from friends and family, but all items were subject to standard security processes.
Many prisoners spent their recreation time putting their art programme skills to good use by making gifts for others, he said.
On Christmas Day, some would be allowed to play sport or attend a prison church service, depending on their risk status.
When it comes to eating, prisoners at all the country's prisons will get to eat vegetables, chicken and a Christmas fruit-mince pie for lunch, while dinner is cold meat - including ham - and salads with the option of a vegetarian dish.
Internal services sector inmate employment manager Russell Baker said Christmas meals met basic nutritional requirements but were by no means lavish.
They would be cooked by the prisoners on the department's daily meal budget of about $4.50 per person - a figure helped by the fact the department could get good deals on bulk buying.
Christmas day menu:
Breakfast: Cereals, toast and spread, yoghurt, one serve of milk, tea;
Hot lunch: Chicken, potatoes, carrots, green beans, two slices of buttered bread, one Christmas fruit mince tart, one piece of fruit, or vegetarian - filled jacket potato and salad;
Dinner: Ham, salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion), potato salad, hard boiled egg, two slices of buttered bread, one serve of milk and a piece of fruit, or vegetarian - avocado with mushroom filling and salad.
- NZPA
