Big shifts are happening behind bars when it comes to what's on the menu. The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry (ADCRR) just gave the green light to Aramark to take over food services for state prison complexes, waving goodbye to the former provider, Trinity Services Group. In a statement by the ADCRR official website, it highlighted Aramark's alignment with its goals, particularly their promise to serve up healthy food, job training, and prospects for employment post-release.
Billed as a fresh start, the Aramark era will bring "Fresh Favorites" to commissaries, offering freshly prepared meals that would make you think of restaurant dining – that is, if you're dining in a prison cafeteria. The upcoming months should reveal whether the program lives up to its restaurant-quality boast, and for those with prescribed medical diets, you can expect some changes on your plate however, ADCRR assures that these tweaks have been okayed by healthcare pros and dietitians to match up medical needs.
But it's not just about sprucing up meal times. Aramark is also stirring in job skills training with a side of internship and scholarship opportunities, and a promise of helping inmates find jobs after their release. This culinary program expansion could plate up new beginnings for inmates looking to cook up a storm post-incarceration, hopefully translating to life changes that last well beyond their sentences.
