Saruman and betrayal

[Legolas]

Originally Posted by Kuruharan

This actually speaks favorably of the orcs supply capacity because you'd have to think that they would not be generous with food to prisoners, but they gave the prisoners both bread and meat.

To be fair, these are not typical prisoners - they are the short fellows the orcs were sent to capture. Their health was a priority. They were ordered to keep them alive for Saruman; feeding them was probably done with that in mind. This order is alluded to throughout Book 3 Chapter 3 "The Uruk-Hai." The last quote is maybe the most telling.

'Very well,' said Uglúk. 'Leave them to me then! No killing, as I've told you before; but if you want to throw away what we've come all the way to get, throw it away! I'll look after it. Let the fighting Uruk-hai do the work, as usual.'

'I've returned to see that Orders are carried out and the prisoners safe,' answered Grishnákh.
'Indeed!' said Uglúk. 'Waste of effort. I'll see that orders are carried out in my command. And what else did you come back for? You went in a hurry. Did you leave anything behind?'
'I left a fool,' snarled Grishnákh. 'But there were some stout fellows with him that are too good to lose. I knew you'd lead them into a mess. I've come to help them.'

'[...] Oh dear no! What do you think you've been kept alive for? My dear little fellows, please believe me when I say that it was not out of kindness: that's not even one of Uglúk's faults.' (Grishnákh)