Prisoners to be fed fresh oranges, crumbed fish as jail menu overhauled

NSW’s prisoners have succeeded in kicking tuna salad off their menu, but meal portions will be smaller— and it’s tough luck if you’re a vegan crim or on an ice-cream only diet. See what’s left on the jailhouse menu.

NSW prisoners are missing out on most of their menu wishlist, but some concerns have been addressed.

Prisoners have failed in their bid to be served sandwiches without crusts, pizza and KFC – although they have succeeded in getting rid of the hated tuna salad.

The state government has been forced to overhaul the jailhouse menu after prisoners refused to eat the meals.

While the more extravagant inmate requests were knocked back, officials did agree to scrap the notorious tuna salad.

Fresh oranges will also be made available after a historic ban – imposed to stop prisoners from using them to make jailhouse moonshine – was overturned.

However, inmates will find meal portions will be smaller, with the amount to be offered reduced from 700-800g per meal down to 500g.

(File image) The notoriously hated tuna salad is out, and crumbed fish is in.

The prison meal overhaul was undertaken to stop thousands of dollars of uneaten food being thrown out every day, with almost half of the 13,000 or so meals issued daily ending up in waste.

When tuna salad was served up, about 90 per cent of meals were left uneaten, according to Corrective Services NSW.

Now prison officials have swapped the unpopular meal for crumbed fish.

Vegetarian meal options will remain but the department has refused to cater for vegans as they do not meet Australian dietary guidelines.

The meal plans were developed by staff and inmates in accordance with Australian dietary guidelines, with department executives taste-testing the final menu.

Among the inmate requests that were knocked back included sandwiches without crusts “just like my mum does” and takeaway pizza and KFC.

Requests for KFC and takeaway pizza didn’t make the new menu.

Neither did crustless sandwiches.

One prisoner submitted a “medical diet request”, declaring: “I can only eat ice cream.”

That was rejected – but not before the department undertook a medical review.

Prisons Commissioner Kevin Corcoran said providing nutritional meals played a vital role in rehabilitation.

“Our goal in custody is helping rehabilitate inmates to ensure they leave prison with a strong focus on being productive members of the community,” he said.

“Providing healthy, nutritional meals is important to keeping inmates engaged in programs, education, work and other prosocial activities while they’re in custody.”

On an ice-cream diet? Tough luck, inmate.

The food overhaul comes as preparations begin for the annual inmate Christmas Day meal, with prisoners to be served a roast turkey lunch with gravy, potatoes, pumpkin and seasonal vegetables, followed by a dinner of crumbed fish salad.

Vegetarians will celebrate Christmas with spinach and cheese patties, potatoes, pumpkin and seasonal vegetables, with a dinner of non-meat schnitzel and salad. All inmates will receive fruit mince pies and slices.

About 3.9 million inmate meals are produced at Windsor each year, with 90 prisoners employed to help in the preparation. As one of the largest prison meal manufacturing plants in Australia, inmates gain experience in hospitality, cleaning operations, kitchen operations and warehousing and logistics.

Corrections Minister Geoff Lee said prison food was far from the cliches.

“Inmates certainly aren’t eating like kings but they are provided with a variety of meal options on a rotating schedule that meet their needs,” he said.