The program gives selected inmates a variety of roles which include duties from farming, cultivating, harvesting, and finally preparing daily inmate meals. The inmates are also taught bakery and line service skills while recycling reusable waste materials in the process. Many inmates, having never seen the full cycle of preparing a meal, will leave the facility with gainful employability skills that could assist with obtaining lawful employment; thus, becoming contributing members of their households and to society.

The primary goal is to reduce the mounting cost of feeding inmates, a burden normally assumed by the citizens of Marion County, while teaching the inmates to be productive. This cost effective approach extends beyond deterrence and encourages self-preservation. While it is not certain the Culinary Arts Academy endeavor will reduce crime rates, it certainly places inmates on a path toward becoming contributing citizens. Call it community policing at its best.

The Dietician/Nutritionist, who is contracted through the Marion County Jail Food Service Unit, developed a sufficient nutritional twenty-eight day diet for the inmate population. The Dietician is licensed, registered, and is state certified by the State of Florida Department of Medical Quality Assurance. The diet produced was developed using the recommended guidelines of the American Dietician Association. This is based on documented scientific principles that will reduce risk factors associated with heart attacks, stroke, and other food related diseases.

The twenty-eight day diet was planned, developed, and implemented to meet the required nutritional needs of the adult inmate population. Inmates on special diets such as diabetes, pregnancy, and many other special need diets have also been developed in great detail to meet their nutritional requirements. The diets are broken down to illustrate the nutrients per serving such as number of calories, proteins, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and calories from fat. The amounts of daily recommended vitamins also are included in the diet, along with the percent of calories from carbs, and the amount of total saturated fat.

The diet is reviewed on an annual basis to ensure that all nutritional requirements are satisfied and all meals are documented and reviewed daily by the Food Service Supervisor. Fresh vegetables and seasonal fruits are used to replace canned vegetables whenever possible

*Special diets and substitute items are given if approved by Medical and are available.