IDAHO PRISON FOOD - "NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION"

As one would imagine and expect, menu planning, food preparation and food service in prison is considerably different than what is experienced at home, or even in a large restaurant. While there are those who could care less what prisoners are fed, and maybe even believe prisoners should get only a daily ration of bread and water (and little of that), the reality is the bread and water days are gone, and taxpayer money feeds Idaho prisoners.

To be clear, this piece is not a hatchet job or a prisoner railing against the prison fare. Because your tax dollars pay for most of this food, it's your right to know what is, and what is not being done.

"Where the preparation and/or presentation of food are lacking, people generally dislike it, even if it is the highest quality food cooked by top chefs."
-- Celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay

Food and ingredients received by Idaho prisons are, for the most part, of good quality, though inevitably some food received at the prison facility and subsequently served to the prisoners is spoiled or otherwise unfit to consume. Many inmate food service workers simply don't care about the quality (or edibility) of the food or ingredients and will "toss it into the pot" without reporting the problem, as long as they don't have to eat it. Based on the number of meals served, the percentage of unfit food served (at the ISCC) is quite low, but when it goes bad, it's really bad - made worse due to laziness more so than oversight.

For example, the supper meal served on Christmas eve (2021) at the ISCC contained 2 small sealed, prepackaged turkey ham on biscuit sandwiches (Jennie-O brand). After being served the meal, prisoners noticed the "Use By" date (not a BEST BY date) - clearly printed on the packages. That date was December 16, 2021. When opened, the hot sandwiches seemed fine, but smell and taste indicated they were rancid and moldy. Prisoners who complained to housing staff were informed there were no food service staff available to address the problem. After letting a sealed sandwich sit overnight, the mold on the bread was readily apparent upon opening it the next morning. On the bright side, the mold was a festive shade of holiday green.

One of the most recurring spoiled foods is Meadow Gold (brand) milk, served to prisoners in half pint cartons. Although the date codes on the cartons do not indicate the milk is "expired", it is sour roughly 50% of the time when served to prisoners. This situation has been an ongoing issue for well over a year, though ISCC food service staff refuse to address the root of the problem, instead instructing prisoners to inform housing staff and to request another milk when it is soured. This is not viable when most, if not all the milk sent to the units is spoiled. Public dollars are being spent on a product that is literally being flushed down the toilet while taxpayers continue to believe their money is being used to fulfill the nutritional needs of the prisoners as required by law.

In a few cases, food is clearly inedible even at the time it is received at the facility. Some (ground) meat, including "beef crumbles" (and oddly enough) flour clearly marked: "NOT FOR HUMAN COMSUMPTION - INSTITUTIONAL USE ONLY" is routinely and knowingly ordered, accepted and used to prepare meals served to prisoners, even to this day.

In some cases, (ISCC) food service personnel is responsible for making food unpalatable. Recently, cases of bananas served as fresh fruit have, for some reason, been heated to the point the insides are liquefied just before being served. Granted, hot bananas are still edible, but they are certainly difficult to peel.

In most cases, the description of the food in the official menu published by the IDOC makes the food seem better than what it actually is. Chili on the menu? Expect tomato broth with some "beef crumbles" and beans. Expect something you've never seen before if served the ham/cheese bake with rice pilaf (if you can peel the rice off the breading). In other cases, food service staff deviate from the published menu due to shortages or other factors.This year someone at the IDOC declared there was a turkey (and ham?) shortage, so no traditional Christmas dinner - at least at the ISCC - in 2021.

Rather, than the traditional and long-standing holiday meal served at the ISCC this Christmas, prisoners were served small, prepackaged "stuffed chicken" nuggets, stuffed with cream cheese and (possibly) broccoli. Mashed potatoes and gravy, cornbread (or was it cake?) apple salad, dinner roll and something called "peppermint fudge" for dessert rounded out the fare. The food - served in Styrofoam trays - was barely warm and was damp from condensation collecting in the lid. The Christmas morning breakfast, was a cinnamon bun, a pint of (sour) milk and a brown speckled banana. Lunch was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in a plastic bag.

I know there are many in this country and around the world who go to bed hungry most every night. Despite shortcomings in the prison fare, I am thankful I am not one of them.