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Meals in Jail
LA County Jail Interview
*Names have been changed to protect privacy.
Jail Media: How many meals did you get per day?
Ben Smith: We got three meals a day, but it’s really not a lot.
Jail Media: Did you have to get stuff from commissary?
Ben Smith: Yeah, if you had money, it’s best to buy stuff from commissary. That’s another reason people work, because you get extra food. Sometimes you get to eat with the guards. I worked in the kitchen, so I got to eat whatever the guards were eating – or whatever the guards left behind.
Jail Media: What types of meals did the inmates get, and what types of meals did you get working in the kitchen?
Ben Smith: Basically, if you’re just a regular inmate, the meals they bring to you is really just slop. Ground meat and maybe potatoes and some kind of sauce all mixed up. Maybe some Jello or something like that – it’s nasty. The guards got burgers or tacos, or enchiladas or lasagna, or whatever. If you’re a trustee, you get to eat pretty good.
Jail Media: What kinds of things could you get through commissary?
Ben Smith: You can get candy and chips, and a big thing that people in there eat is the Top Ramen, or the Cup O’Noodles. That’s real big in there because they take that, and make other stuff with it. They live off of Cup O’Noodles while they’re in jail. If you’re going to turn yourself in, take some money with you. Right away, they’ll put that in your account, so as soon as you get housed, or to your facility, you can start ordering food right away instead of having to wait for someone else to put money in your account.
Jail Media: How do people get money into your account?
Ben Smith: They have to come down to LA County, and there’s a clerk there in a reception area where they can put money in. Also, if your family is out of state, they can order care packages through the internet. I think it’s carepackages.com or something like that. They can order anything. You don’t get to choose – they just send a care package with soup and candy and all that stuff. You can also order calling cards and vending machine cards.
