Essex Police has revealed what food and drink options are offered to detainees in custody.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request, published by Essex Police, reveals what detainees can eat and drink in custody.

The law requires the force to provide at least two light meals and one main meal per day, as well as responding to reasonable requests.

The force has a variety of options available to ensure options are provided which cover dietary and religious requirements.

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Here is a list of all food and drink available within the Essex custody suites:

Meal items

  • Porridge pot
  • Vegetarian all day breakfast
  • All day breakfast
  • Beef lasagne
  • Cottage pie
  • Chicken korma
  • Pasta bolognese
  • Chicken tikka
  • Beef chilli with rice
  • Spicy chicken with rice
  • Sausage and mash
  • Tuna pasta bake
  • Vegetable curry
  • Sweet and sour chicken
  • Potato wedges in spicy tomato sauce
  • Pilau rice pouch
  • Egg fried rice pouch
  • Chips in chip shop style curry sauce
  • Minced lamb hot pot
  • Chicken casserole
  • Chicken and vegetable madras
  • Vegetable chilli
  • Pot noodle chicken mushroom
  • Baked beans snap pots
  • Pilau rice ambient meal tray
  • Golden savoury rice ambient meal tray
  • All day breakfast - large
  • Layered meat/pasta - large
  • Cottage pie - large
  • Chicken korma - large

Snacks

  • Curiously cinnamon bar
  • Fruitypot peach and pear in fruit juice
  • Twin pack digestive biscuits
  • All butter shortbread finger
  • Cherry flapjack
  • Love chocolate dessert
  • Thick and creamy mixed yoghurt

Drinks

  • Orange squash
  • Apple blackcurrant squash
  • Tea white
  • Tea black
  • Black coffee
  • White coffee
  • Hot chocolate

The force notes it is reliant upon stock levels and delivery of these items so some products may not always be available in every custody suite.