Prisoners serving time are serving up their own soups and stews after being given slow cookers.
The crock pots have been provided to inmates at an open jail in a bid to improve their diets, but meals can take at least 12 hours to cook.
An insider said: “It’s not really a problem as these guys have plenty of time on their hands.”
HMP Springhill, Bucks, installed cookers in kitchens of the 13 accommodation huts that make up the category D prison. It comes after a survey found less than half of inmates were satisfied with prison food standards.
Slow cookers simmer foods at a low temperature over several hours.
They can be left unattended while lags go to classes or jobs and are safer than the kettles often used for DIY prison cooking.
Inspectors have praised the scheme. A prison source added: “It’s all getting a bit MasterChef. We used to have beans on toast, tuna pasta and spaghetti bolognese. Now it’s chicken casserole, hot pots, stews and all sorts.”
The Prison Service said: “Offenders are provided with healthy meals that meet nutritional guidelines.”
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