Jim, this is very interesting. In some of the prisons I visited, the (male) inmates clamoured for cooking facilities, and on some 'landings' a cooker was installed, with saucepans etc. They actually did cook some nice things, and the various ethnic groups shared their recipes from home. 'My' inmate (a white Brit) at one prison learned from a Jamaican to cook with coconut milk, carrot juice and many different spices. None of this was junk food at all. They said they preferred to cook real stuff; the institutional food was well-balanced but too bland and plain. The ingredients were ordered in for them. But of course, the security risks were great, boiling water/hot fat, knives, bits and pieces to hide drugs in etc. It was a nightmare for the officers, and most of these innovative schemes had to be stopped. I think personally the inmates wanted more spicy flavour and variety. Prisoners are only allowed just over £2 per day for the Prison Chef to make meals for them, so they're pretty monotonous.