Blog for Corrections
Correctional Meal Serving Materials: What's the Difference?
Correctional Meal Serving products come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. Each with different benefits and safety features...
Importance of Keeping a Correctional Facility Clean
For the sake of public health, correctional facilities must be kept clean and maintained. Correctional facilities face challenges that are comparable to those of any other densely populated facility...
Top 5 High Security Items for Corrections
Today we are going to cover a few of our top high security items. It is important to make sure your facility has the right equipment and supplies in order to maintain a safe environment...
Correctional Foodservice Solutions
The foodservice industry in prisons faces unique difficulties, many of which can be overcome with the right equipment...
Correctional Meal Delivery Systems
Today we are going to take a look at the best way to deliver meals to housing units in correctional facilities...
Silicone 101
Silicone is a synthetic "rubber" made of chemically bound silicon, oxygen, and occasionally carbon. Silicone cookware also can contain a wide range...
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Cleaning Supplies for High-Risk Environments
It is just as important to maintain a clean environment in correctional facilities as it is in restaurants, hotels, and other operations...
Cook’s Brand: Flex Line
Cook’s Correctional has Designed the Flex Line with high security environments in mind. These trays are sturdy...
Cook’s Brand: Tray Sale!
Who doesn’t love a sale? Cook’s is currently running a promotion on trays, through the end of September...
Cleveland Range KDL40: The Perfect Correctional Steam Kettle
A steam kettle, like a steamer, makes use of steam's high heat energy transfer...
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Choosing The Right Dough Cutter for High-Risk Environments
You can use dough cutters for many food items, in many different settings...
The Globe Whip: Safety and Durability by Design
The primary driver behind the Cook’s Brand product line is to offer correctional foodservice operators product options that are safe and durable...
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What Convection Oven Has The Most BTU's?
Convection ovens are nothing short of amazing. There aren’t many pieces of equipment in today’s commercial kitchen that can hold a candle to their versatility...
The Gorilla Tray
The Cook’s Brand Gorilla Tray is one of our larger insulated meal trays that is used in many jails and prisons across the country...
Why Choose the EcoSecurity™ Utensil?
First and foremost, the EcoSecurity Utensil is a safer option. One of the largest concerns in Jails and Prisons with plastic utensils is the potential for inmates to turn them into deadly weapons...
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Annual Summer Disposables Sale
It’s that time again! The Annual Summer Disposables Sale for 2022 has begun...
Our Overstock Sale is On!
Like every retail business, we sometimes have too many products on hand. While the majority of the products we offer are products that we already have on order from a customer...
Need it now? Look for the In-Stock Button
Have you noticed something different on the Cook’s website? We’ve added a new feature that we feel is quite timely, and yes, that was a pun...
Check out the New Cook’s Brand Catalog
Our new 2022 Cook’s Brand Catalog is in the mail! Customers can expect to receive their catalog beginning next week...
Tray Transport Options
Over the past two and a half years we have seen a lot of changes resulting from the pandemic. Foodservice in all industries has had to make a wide variety of changes with much of the focus on how meals are delivered to customers...
Steam Kettle Efficiency Tips
Commercial steam kettles are the ideal piece of equipment for quickly heating up soups, stews, sauces or pasta. Depending on the amount of people you’re cooking for, a kettle is often the most efficient and effective way to cook or to retherm extremely large batches of these types of foods...
In-Stock Equipment Update
It’s the beginning of May, and for many of our correctional foodservice customers, a sense of urgency is starting to creep into their decision making...
How Many People Will That Feed?
Portion control is a critical skill to have in foodservice and particularly when you are serving large populations...
Cook’s Choice: Cleveland Kettles
Because we’ve had the experience of working with jails and prisons across the US, we have developed preferences in manufactures for...
How to Care for Knives so They Last Longer
Professional chefs know that there are four areas of cutlery maintenance that you need to pay attention to in order to keep your professional knives in top shape.
Aluminum vs. Stainless Steel Cookware
Most commercial cookware found in institutional or foodservice operations is either stainless steel or aluminum.
Five Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Insulated Tray
Whether you’re serving meals in four compartment insulated Gator Trays or the six compartment Extra Deep Marathon Trays, you want to be sure that...
Cook's Counsel for March
With 25 years’ experience in the correctional foodservice, we’ve seen a lot of things that you don’t see in a restaurant kitchen.
Six Reasons to Use a Commercial Microwave
If someone were to ask what is one of the most important pieces of equipment for the correctional kitchen, it’s unlikely that the microwave would make the list.
Only at Cook’s: The Dead Man Box
If you’ve been in foodservice at a jail or prison for any amount of time, there’s a good chance that you’re familiar with Cook’s...
A Tray For the Long Haul: Marathon
One of the most important components of a jail meal serving operation is the tray used for serving. Many of the other...
Commercial Freezer Shopping? Top Five Key Considerations
Cold storage is critical in the foodservice business, from walk-in coolers, undercounter refrigerators to reach-in freezers.
Cook’s Counsel for January
We’ve been working in the correctional foodservice industry for over 25 years...
Commercial Steamer Maintenance
The most common cause of commercial steamer break downs is scale, lime and other mineral deposit build up.
Equipment Ready for Immediate Shipment
Supply chain issues are all over the news and we are hearing it from our customers on a daily basis.
Making Meal Serving Safe
This year we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Cook’s Buyers Guide for Corrections. Many of our customers know Cook’s best from the catalog...
Cook’s is at the 2022 ACA Winter Conference
Our Correctional Team is on the road again! To kick off 2022, we are attending the American Correctional Associations Winter Conference in Phoenix, Az.
The 2022 Buyers Guide for Corrections is Now Online
Be sure to check out the online catalog, available on CooksCorrectional.com and look for your Buyers Guide for Corrections in your mailbox, after the New Year.
Dishwasher Rack Basics
Open racks, glass racks, flatware racks and more, dishwasher racks are available to hold a variety of items ranging from specific sizes...
Giving Back to the Community
For many people across America, the long weekend after Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holidays and the anticipated march toward Christmas day.
Thanksgiving - A Cook’s Tradition
Let’s start by saying Thank You to you, our customer. At this time of Thanksgiving, we reflect on the blessings and beauty that life offers us...
In-Stock Equipment
Long lead times on equipment a problem? You hear it on the news, you see it in images of container ships that are backed up at the ports, lead times on goods...
How Long Can You Keep Frozen Meat & Poultry?
The operating temperature of a commercial freezer is typically about -10 degrees Fahrenheit with a holding temperature that will range between -10 and zero degrees Fahrenheit.
We've Finaly Gone Virtual
This week Cook’s participated in our first virtual conference and product expo. We’ve had opportunities to participate in virtual trade shows several times...
Important Routine Maintenance for Refrigeration Units
Keeping your commercial refrigeration units running is critical. A breakdown can be expensive in repairs and loss of inventory...
What Makes Silicone Ideal for Correctional Meal Trays?
First, we should cover what silicone actually is because there is a lot of confusion regarding the material. Technically, silicone could be considered within...
The ROI of Reusable Flatware
One of the first changes that the pandemic brought about was an increased demand in disposable meal packaging, flatware and drinkware that created shortages...
The Cook's Brand Five Star Tray
The Cook’s Brand Five Star Tray is truly unique when it comes to insulated meal trays for corrections. This innovative tray is shaped differently than other insulated trays.
Consistent Portions with Rite-Size Portion Servers
The Rite-size Servers from Cook’s Brand are designed to make managing your serving line easier and getting the same amount of food served on each tray.
Cook’s is Showing Up in the Show Me State
Cook’s is excited to have participated in the Missouri Corrections Association & Missouri Probation & Parole Officers Association 2021 Joint Fall Conference in Lake Ozark, MO this week.
Four Choices In Materials for Meal Serving
With meal serving products in four different materials, you can find the trays, drinkware and utensils for the different environments within your correctional facility in Cook’s Brand products.
The Gator Tray
The first jail meal serving tray introduced by Cook’s is the Gator Tray, a four compartment insulated tray. It debuted on the cover of the 2005 Correctional Buyers Guide.
Cart Handling Safety Tips
Here are four easy-to-implement ergonomic practices that every worker who pushes any type of cart should implement to prevent injuries and back pain from cart handling
Why Is The Right Caster So Important?
Here are some of the things we learned when we were looking for the right caster for correctional meal delivery carts.
Food Safety Tips – Storage & Receiving
Review these easy to follow tips and share with staff to help everyone in your operation maintain a more sanitary and safer foodservice operation.
The Grizzly Tray
Serving meals to inmates on insulated trays is one of the most common meal delivery methods in the country for local jails. It’s simple and requires only the tray and the meal delivery cart.
What We Learned at the ACA Conference
Our team was thrilled with the chance to connect in person with old friends and to see some new faces too.
Cook’s Correctional Going to ACA
If you or someone from your facility will be attending, you should stop by and say hello to the Cook’s Team in booth #825.
Cook’s Brand to Introduce a New Longer Knife Leash
To continue to meet the needs of our customers, we will be introducing a new 8 foot long knife leash in late August 2021.
Look Out for These Top Five Service Indicators for Refrigeration
Proper care and preventative maintenance are critically important to keep your commercial refrigeration equipment functioning well at all times.
Flatware Options for High Security Areas
Serving meals in jails and prisons requires a different set of priorities than serving in any other type of environments.
Our Most Popular Correctional Kitchen Supplies
Here are our five most popular kitchen supply items that you’ll find in a jail or prison kitchen, and not in other institutional or commercial kitchens
Why Look for NSF on Food Prep & Food Storage Equipment
NSF International is an independent organization that tests equipment from all different manufacturers to measure it against a set of standards that were created to ensure public safety.
Which Floor Brush is Best on Your Floor Type?
If you have a variety of flooring types or surfaces in your facility, you should review your inventory of floor cleaning equipment and supplies.
Improve the Efficiency of Your Refrigerator
Here are some easy to follow hints that will boost efficiency for your commercial refrigerators and worktop refrigerators.
Speed is Key with Food Storage
Keeping food fresh and safe are critical to any foodservice operation. One of the most important factors in receiving and storing fresh foods is timing
Shopping for Pan Racks? Start with These Questions
Make sure to consider the questions before making a purchase to ensure that you get the best pan rack for your correctional kitchen.
The Fast Four to Maintaining Your Refrigeration Equipment
Refrigeration equipment is a valuable part of your correctional foodservice operation and the risk of delayed or overlooked maintenance can be costly.
What Can You Cook With A Tilt Skillet?
Tilt Skillets are one of the most versatile pieces of cooking equipment available, so much so that they are often called the work horse of the commercial kitchen
The Best Flatware Choices for High Security Environments
Here are some of the best flatware options for the maximum security environments that you won’t find anywhere but Cook’s
Knife Storage Solutions for Corrections
The Cook’s Brand High Security Tool Locker is available to provide foodservice personal a safe and secure storage solution for their jail or prison kitchen.
Why is the Rest Time Important When Cooking Meat?
After you remove meat from the oven, grill or other heat source, you should allow it to rest for the amount of time specified for that type of meat.
Meet Our Newly Redesigned Vented Drying Racks
Their new design will assist with the maximization of your drying capacity and increase your commercial or correctional kitchen productivity.
5 Quick Tips to Save Energy When Operating Your Oven
The easiest way to save money in your foodservice operation is to create habits that reduce energy consumption for equipment. Small activities, when accumulated all day, every day, can add up to significant savings that you will continue to benefit.
Did You Wash Your Hands?
Regular hand washing is critically important to the prevention of cross-contamination and the spread of germs.
Cook’s Quick Guide on Cleaning Your Commercial Ice Machine
Cleaning your ice machine is easy, as long as you follow the manufacturer’s recommended processes. This quick guide can get you started and lead you through the process.
HOW LONG IS LONG ENOUGH? A GUIDE FOR THE RECOMMENDED STORAGE OF REFRIGERATED & FROZEN FOODS
This guide can help you to plan ahead with your food inventory, reducing waste and maintaining food safety.
Safety Tips for Holding Equipment Use
For correctional foodservice operations, the ability to prepare and hold food until it is time for tray assembly or meal service is a necessity.
Simple Steps to Improve Safety and Sanitation
Keeping things clean in the kitchen is important to reduce the risk of foodborne illness but it will also improve safety in your foodservice operation.
Cook’s Compares Commercial Microwaves vs. Residential Microwaves
When you buy a residential microwave, instead of a commercial model but there’s a good chance you would lose out in the long run.
Top Five Benefits of Cooking with Steam
Steam is a highly efficient method of cooking that has several benefits and with all the variety available in commercial steamers, there is sure to be...
BEST PRACTICES FOR WALK-INS TO REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION
Anyone in the foodservice industry knows that the operation of an institutional kitchen is responsible for a great deal of energy consumption within the facility.
THE MYGO REUSABLE TO-GO CONTAINER™ FOR CORRECTIONS
There were changes in every area of life in 2020 that were brought about from the Covid Pandemic. Daily routines are now very different than they were just one year ago.
Welcome to our New & Improved Website Experience
We have upgraded the Cook’s Correctional website (www.cookscorrectional.com) in January 2021. The site improvements are designed to provide a better user experience and gives our customers much better functionality
The 2021 Buyers Guide for Corrections is Here!
The beginning of the year is marked by the distribution of our annual catalog, the Cook’s Buyers Guide for Corrections. The 2021 Buyers Guide for Corrections mailed out..
Why Cook's Brand?
If you’ve seen us at a trade show, taken a look at our YouTube channel or had a conversation with any of the territory managers at Cook’s, you’ve heard about Cook’s Brand...
New Vented Sheet Pan & Tray Drying Rack from Cook’s Brand
Our Vented Tray Drying Rack has a new name – it’s now the Cook’s Brand Vented Sheet Pan & Tray Drying Rack because we’ve added a new sheet pan insert to our offering...