Local jails spend on average $4.31 per inmate to feed them three meals a day, according to records supplied to this newspaper.

A newspaper analysis found that in 2011, it cost Butler County just under $985,000 or $1.16 a meal to feed inmates.

The county jail has an average daily inmate population of 775, according to Butler County Sheriff’s Lt. Lance Bunnell.

It cost Middletown taxpayers $123,500 or $2.25 a meal last year to feed the city’s average daily population of 50 inmates, Middletown Finance Director Russ Carolus said.

Warren County spent just under $246,500, or 90 cents a meal, to feed its inmates in 2011, according to Warren County Sheriff Larry Sims.

The Warren County jail has an average daily population of 250.

Feeding jail inmates, while a large undertaking, is being handled in a cost-effective manner, according to local officials.

“Contractors are able to purchase the food at a much better cost than the city due to the sheer volume of food they purchase for their very large companies,” said Middletown Law Director Les Landen. “Even if the city used (inmates) to prepare and serve the food, an employee would have to be dedicated to the food service needs of the jail for a minimum of 12 hours per day, seven days per week.”

The city and the two counties pay their food service provider based on the day’s inmate population. The more inmates, the cheaper the meal. Aramark is contracted by the counties and ABL Management is contracted by Middletown.

To keep the cost down, inmates assist in either preparation work or serving the food, city and county officials have said.

Butler County, Warren County and Middletown officials said inmates receive three meals a day during their stays. Bunnell said the food is mandated to meet the minimum health standards. While they aren’t being served bread and water, he said “they’re not being served filet mignon.”

“Ultimately we are in charge of maintaining their health and welfare while they’re in here,” Bunnell said.

Jails are serving beef and noodles, pasta and salad, turkey and mashed potatoes, and chicken patties. Middletown police Sgt. Rick Bowling, a jail supervisor, said while the food is “quality food,” there are no options.

Carolus said it’s difficult to put a number on the actual dollars saved, but thinks it’s very cost-efficient.

“We would have to maintain the records, we would have to maintain the stock,” he said. “It’s less administration for us. We don’t have to have the extra staff, we don’t have to have the extra services.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2175 or michael.pitman@coxinc.com. Follow at twitter.com/mdpitman.