My mother's holiday meals are highlights of the year for everyone in my family. The gatherings around the table are filled with laughter. The food is delicious.

Unlike in most American homes, the main feature of our holiday meals isn't turkey or ham. In our family of vegetarians, the big treat my mom serves is "cheese and nut loaf," a healthful, meatloaf-like dish that's so good, she has to make a double batch.

But in a different setting, and with a slight change in ingredients, our holiday celebration meal would be prison food.

For decades, inmates across the country have sued prison officials, claiming that the practice of serving them a meal similar to my mom's main holiday entree constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. The Vermont Supreme Court is weighing the merits of such a lawsuit now.

The offending dish is called nutraloaf.

In many states, including North Carolina, nutraloaf is served to inmates who have used their food, trays or utensils to assault staff and other inmates.

"It's a behavior modification tool," said Bob Lewis, assistant director of support services for the N.C. Department of Correction.

Is it effective?

"Absolutely," Lewis said.

I can see why.

I asked to try nutraloaf, and the folks at the Department of Correction graciously obliged.

Last month I visited Lewis and Jackie Parker, a registered dietitian and chief of food and nutrition management for the Department of Correction, at their offices next to Central Prison. They brought me samples of freshly baked nutraloaf, including one serving in a white paper bag. That's the way it's served to inmates, with no plate or utensils.

Inmates who have been put on nutraloaf get the oblong, irregularly shaped patty for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day for a maximum of seven consecutive days, Lewis said. Served with a half pint carton of milk three times a day, it provides 2,500 calories and is nutritionally complete.

I was given a serving in a to-go box, with a fork.

I knew right away this wasn't my mother's cheese and nut loaf.

North Carolina's version of nutraloaf is a nutritious, baked mash of canned turnip greens, white beans, black-eyed peas, grits, carrots, tomato paste, vegetable oil, eggs and rolled oats.

I tried two bites.

Not bad. But I wasn't eager to eat more. Why not?

As I learned years ago in Introductory Foods 101, we judge foods by their taste, texture, aroma and appearance.

My mother's cheese and nut loaf is much better. Here's why:

• Taste. Nutraloaf is relatively bland. Sautéed onions, chopped walnuts, and low-fat cheddar cheese give Mom's cheese and nut loaf more flavor.
• Texture. The mushiness of canned beans, grits and oatmeal, combined with stringy bits of canned greens, make the texture of nutraloaf its most unappealing feature. In contrast, the texture of my mom's cheese and nut loaf is more like an old-fashioned meatloaf.
• Aroma. The nutraloaf was room temp, so my impression of it wasn't influenced by appetizing kitchen smells of food cooking in the oven. Nutraloaf is often made ahead in batches, frozen and reheated before serving, said Parker.
• Appearance. The nutraloaf wasn't dry, it just looked that way. It was also unadorned. Put it on a platter surrounded by cherry tomatoes and a sprig of parsley, and it would instantly be more appealing.

But nutraloaf isn't being served to please, as my mother does so well when she cooks for us.

The Vermont court will decide whether no one there deserves nutraloaf.

And if nutraloaf is deemed unacceptable, it won't be because it's not a healthful food. It'll be because it violated the laws of taste, texture, aroma and appearance.

Recipes

Cheese and Nut Loaf