One of my favorite pastimes is to prepare a fine meal for folks to enjoy. If at all possible, I prepare my favorite dishes from scratch, taking pride in the process of creation, using only good-quality meat, along with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

In the free world, I enjoyed cooking all sorts of dishes, everything from seafood and barbecue to sushi and egg rolls. Here, in a Michigan prison, the culinary experience is much different. 

Although I’m still cooking like a chef, a microwave is now my grill and a stinger — a portable immersion water heater — is my stovetop. My cookware consists of plasticware, and most of the ingredients I use can be found at any low-budget truck stop.

The only fresh produce I can access — besides apples, which I buy from others — are peppers and onions from the kitchen black market. The only cheese worthy of cooking is smuggled from the kitchen as well (commissary options burn like plastic). Other than that, every ingredient is prepackaged and heavily preserved.

It’s tricky to eat decently on this side of the fence. Without support from the outside, it would prove nearly impossible. The prison doesn’t feed its captives very well. I try hard to eat healthy but there’s only so much one can do. Adding up the amount of sodium and unhealthy fats that many of the store items contain is depressing. I try my best to practice portion control, which is equally difficult without refrigeration to preserve any leftovers.

Commissary items also are expensive. Prices have tripled since 2020. That means I still eat all of the prison-distributed trays with the exception of spoiled milk, watered-down orange juice, mysterious meat products and mushy beans, potatoes and stews.

Not only is the food quality poor, the portions are often so skimpy that the meals barely hold me over until I can prepare something from the commissary. My average weight of 225 pounds — healthy for someone like me who is 6-foot-3 with a muscular build — drops drastically during long periods in solitary confinement without access to commissary. 

I once lost over 40 pounds in just a few months, and that was with eating every last crumb provided by the prison. 

Thankfully, I am blessed with family support, which allows me to purchase items from the commissary, making my life much more tolerable. 

Below are descriptions of some of my favorite bowls — everything is a bowl because that’s what’s available to cook in.

The Tuna Bowl: Chilled rice containing dill pickle, onion, mayonnaise, garlic powder, salt, pepper, sugar, spread cheese, tuna and hot sauce. Mixed with crushed potato chips and topped with crispy pepperoni. (It might not seem quite right to some but the pepperoni complements the tuna fish beautifully!)

The Cheeseburger Bowl: A combination of cheesy rice, mixed with fried hamburger, peppers, onions and salami, layered between three tortillas and topped with cheddar cheese, pepperoni and diced pickles. (Not the healthiest option but very delicious!)

The Breakfast Bowl: Rice, salsa, egg, cheddar cheese and roast beef, layered between tortillas and topped with mozzarella cheese and bacon. The ingredients cost $30 for two extra-large servings. (Pricey but a must-try!)

Florida Roll Cake: A combination of diced honey buns and brownies covered with crushed M&M’s and topped with a peanut butter and caramel sauce, rolled up in a soft cookie dough crust. (Not an everyday sort of snack!)

While these are some of my favorites, not many people get to eat this way. Most do well to eat ramen noodles mixed with whatever they can find.