 Service Supervisor Dolores Morris (right) and Lt. Micky Frizzell in the jail’s main kitchen. It would be a restaurateur’s dream come true: more than 1.2 million meals served in the last year alone, with a steady (and hungry) clientele. Unfortunately, we’re not talking about a restaurant, and you’re not likely to find a review in the local paper. But it’s no small task for the staff in Collin County’s jail who see to feeding 1,000-plus prisoners three square meals a day.
Food Service Supervisor Delores Morris, who has worked in the department since 1989, recalls days in the old county jail near downtown when the jail kitchen fed less than 100 prisoners a day. As the county’s population has surged dramatically over the last two decades, so it’s been at the jail.
These days, the main jail kitchen prepares meals for more than 900 prisoners plus shifts of detention officers watching over them. A few hundred yards away, the Minimum Security facility kitchen provides meals for their 140-plus inmates, as well as a few dozen more in Juvenile Detention.
Last fiscal year – October 2010 to September 2011 -- the average cost per meal came to 98 cents, or $2.94 a day. Except for once or twice a week, that’s a cooked meal; not cold cuts. And the prisoners are doing the cooking, serving and dishwashing.
The first eight-hour shift at both facilities starts at 4 a.m., the second shift ends at 8 p.m. About 20 prisoners cook the breakfast and lunch shift, while a second crew handles serving lunch, and preparing and serving dinner. All of that is supervised by one or two deputies who order food and plan menus, as well as watch over doctor-ordered dietary restrictions for some inmates.
“Our staff takes pride in their work and we really do try to prepare palatable, nutritious meals,” says Morris. “And, we have an excellent record for health inspections. The inmates take pride in their work, as well.”
There is no jail cafeteria here. All prisoners are fed in their group cell areas, pods made up of single-cell units with a common area for exercise and meals. The food is brought to them on heavy insulated trays loaded into push carts, and then carted back to the kitchen where they’re washed and readied for the next meal.
Because it is a large commercial kitchen, however, the kitchen is proud of always passing city health inspections time after time. This past Spring, the staff received a 100-percent compliance rating from the City of McKinney for its main kitchen, staff dining area, and the Minimum security kitchen.
In case you’re wondering …
- Favorite dishes: hamburgers, anything with fries, chicken-fried steak, or chicken patties
- 3,500 loaves of bread a month (shipments arrive two times a week)
- 3,600 half-pints of milk a week.
- Once a week, delivery trucks bring in about 15 pallets of frozen, canned and fresh produce.
- Oh, and all meals are approved by a certified dietician.
Sample Menu
|
BREAKFAST |
LUNCH |
DINNER |
MON.
|
2 4x4 PANCAKES
4 OZ SYRUP
2.5 OZ SAUSAGE
8 OZ ORANGE JUICE |
8 OZ BEANS & RICE
4 OZ CORN
4 OZ COLESLAW
4 X 4 CORNBREAD
8 OZ COOLAID |
2 TURKEY FRANKS
2 SLICES BREAD
2 MUSTARD PC
4 OZ POTATO SALAD
4 OZ RANCH BEANS
8 0Z COOL AID
|
TUE.
|
8 OZ SWT. OATMEAL
4 OZ FRUIT COCKTAIL
2 BISCUITS
2 OZ JELLY
8 0Z LOWFAT MILK |
8 OZ CHIC SPAGHETTI
4 OZ SWEET PEAS
4X4 YELLOW CAKE (glaze)
2 SL BREAD
8 OZ COOLAID |
4 OZ HAMBURGER PATTY
1 HAMBURGER BUN
3 KETCHUP
PICKLES
6 OZ FRENCH FRIES
4 OZ PINTO BEANS
|
WED
|
4 OZ SCRMBL EGGS
3 OZ SALSA
4 OZ APPLESAUCE
2 FLOUR TORTILLAS |
4X6 CHEESE PIZZA
5 OZ MIX SALAD
1 OZ 1000 ISLAND DRES
4 OZ MAC AND CHEESE
4 OZ CHOC. PUDDING
8 OZ COOLAID
|
8 OZ CHILI MAC
4 OZ CARROTS
4 OZ MIX GREENS
2 SL BREAD
8 OZ COOLAID |
THU. |
8 OZ SWT. RICE
4 OZ pineapple tidbits
2 BISCUITS
2 OZ JELLY
8 OZ LOWFAT MILK |
2 TURKEY CORN DOGS
2 MUSTARD PC
6 OZ PINTO BEANS
4 O MASHED POTATOES
8 0Z COOL AID |
4 OZ Chicken Fried Steak
2 OZ GRAVY
4 OZ MASHED POTATO
4 OZ GREEN BEANS
1 med apple/2 slice bread
8 OZ COOL AID
|
FRI. |
2 SL FRENCH TOAST
3 OZ SYRUP
2.5 OZ peanut butter
4 0Z APPLESAUCE |
4 OZ SLOPPY JOE
2 SL BREAD
6 OZ FRENCH FRIES
4 OZ PORK & BEANS
2 PC KETCHUP
8 OZ COOL AID |
4 1 OZ FISH STICKS
4 OZ CHZ POTATOES
4 OZ BLACKEYED PEAS
4 OZ FRUIT COCKTAIL
2 SL BREAD
8 OZ COOLAID
|
SAT. |
8 OZ Meat and gravy
2 BISCUITS
3 OZ HASHBROWN
2 OZ JELLY
8 OZ lowfat milk |
3.5 OZ CHICKEN PATTY
5 OZ MASHED POTATO
2 OZ GRAVY
4 OZ GREEN BEANS
1 FRESH ORANGE
2 SL BREAD
8 OZ COOL AID
|
8 OZ CHICKEN & RICE
4 OZ MIXED VEGGIES
4 X 4 gingerbread
2 SL BREAD
8 OZ COOL AID |
SUN.
|
8 OZ FROSTED FLAKES
2 BISCUITS
4 OZ FRUIT COCKTAIL
2 OZ JELLY
8 OZ LOW FAT MILK |
2 OZ TURKEY BOLOGNA
2 SL BREAD
1 OZ CHEESE
5 OZ mix salad/1 oz french
4 OZ pork and BEANS
2 PC MUSTARD
1 MED Banana
8 OZ COOL AID |
2 FLOUR TORTILLIAS
4 OZ TACO MEAT
2 OZ LETTUCE
4 OZ PINTO BEANS
4 OZ SPANISH RICE
8 OZ COOL AID |
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