Hungry And Malnourished: Food Service In The Pennsylvania Department Of Corrections

Promoting the health, safety, and dignity of incarcerated people and families

THE QUOTES THAT APPEAR THROUGHOUT THIS REPORT COME FROM THE PRISON SOCIETY’S 2023 SURVEY OF INCARCERATED PEOPLE IN STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS (SCIs)

Food quality is very low, almost everything is processed and soft like baby food.

—SCI Benner Township

I can’t maintain my weight.

—SCI Greene

Nothing is filling or nutritional.

—SCI Phoenix

Last meal is served at 4pm so people without commissary are left hungry until breakfast the next morning (usually at 7am).

—SCI Dallas

Eating in your cell next to a toilet with no room is not ok.

—SCI Phoenix

Portion sizes are too small for adults.

—SCI Forest

I’ve been down going on 35 years. (sic) The foods served are all carbs, you’re hungry anywhere from 45 mins to 1.5 hours later, all the carbs have made me a diabetic…”

—SCI Forest

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The notion that food should be part of the punishment of being in prison is deeply ingrained in our culture. Hollywood depictions of chow halls typically feature gray mystery meat, pale vegetables, and lumpy gruel. These portrayals are not an exaggeration of the reality in many prisons. The food served in prisons and jails in much of the United States is not only unappetizing, it often fails to meet the basic nutritional needs of incarcerated people.

The Prison Society’s recent evaluation of food service in Pennsylvania state prisons shows that the commonwealth is no exception.

What we found

Our nutritional analysis of state prison menus, interviews with food service staff, tours of kitchens, and system-wide survey of incarcerated people revealed:

Food served in state prisons leaves incarcerated people hungry. Meals do not provide enough calories to meet incarcerated people’s needs, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), the nutritional benchmarks that guide U.S. government policy. In the survey, 80% of male survey respondents and 70% of female survey respondents reported being hungry every day between meals.

Menus likely contribute to diet-related illnesses.

They contain twice the recommended amount of starchy vegetables and refined carbohydrates and half the fruit and vegetable servings recommended by the DGAs. Department of Corrections (DOC) menus also rely heavily on processed foods. Together, these nutritional deficits exacerbate disease risk for a population disproportionately affected by chronic illnesses.

Hunger forces incarcerated people to buy expensive junk food from the prison

commissary. Seventy percent of incarcerated people in our survey said they rely on the commissary to get enough to eat. Commissary items such as instant ramen, honey buns, and potato chips are high in sodium, added sugar, and refined carbohydrates, adding to the risk of chronic diseases. What few healthy commissary items exist are often sold out.

While these findings are troubling, the Prison Society’s work is spurring change. After we shared the results of our evaluation with the DOC in February 2024, the department promptly made adjustments to prison menus that addressed some of the issues identified. Specifically, the new DOC menus increase calories to be closer to recommended levels (though still below recommendations for men) and address deficiencies in fiber.

The department should be lauded for these actions. The Prison Society looks forward to continuing to work with the DOC in addressing the problems which still remain.

INTRODUCTION

In the hit Netflix series “Orange Is the New Black,” women in a federal prison are treated to a gastronomic horror show: moldy bologna, twenty-year-old canned pudding, and urine-tainted Thanksgiving gravy. The reality of prison food is often not much better, and may well be worse. Until as recently as 2016, Pennsylvania state prisons were serving “food loaf” to incarcerated people who misbehaved, consisting of a “baked combination of rice, raw potatoes, carrots, cabbage, oatmeal, and beans.”

In 1996, the state spent $8.96 per person per day (adjusted for inflation) on food. By 2018, it was spending just $2.61.

Hollywood dramatizations and actual prison fare reflect a common sentiment: that food is part of the punishment of being in prison. Enabled by this notion, corrections administrators have turned to prison food service as a way to reduce the cost of feeding the expanding prison population in the era of mass incarceration. In Pennsylvania, the Department of Corrections drastically slashed the food budget over the past three decades. In 1996, the state spent $8.96 per person per day (adjusted for inflation) on food. By 2018, it was spending just $2.61. Meanwhile, the state prison population grew from 34,537 to 47,239, an increase of 37%.

In effect, the costs of feeding people in state custody have shifted to incarcerated people themselves and their typically low-income families outside of prison, as they are forced to buy supplemental food from prison commissaries to get enough to eat. In 2022, the DOC raised commissary prices on food by 26%, more than double the rate of inflation for food prices in the greater economy. A packet of “Sweet N Spicy Snack Mix” that used to cost $1.28 now sold for $2.55. Even an extra dollar can be an insurmountable price increase for incarcerated people making hourly wages that range from $0.23 to $0.50 an hour for most jobs–and that was after the DOC raised wages for the first time in many years.

The dependence on commissary snacks not only creates an economic hardship for incarcerated people, it also compromises their health.

The dependence on commissary snacks not only creates an economic hardship for incarcerated people, it also compromises their health. Prison commissaries typically stock foods that are high in sodium, added sugar, refined carbohydrates, and unhealthy fats–such as canned meat, candy bars, and potato chips–while offering few healthy options.

Prison food service has also become increasingly privatized in the era of mass incarceration. The Pennsylvania DOC entered into a contract with Aramark in 2018 that centralized food procurement. In this arrangement, Aramark provides food and food management software, while DOC staff run kitchens and develop a master menu used in all 23 prisons. Prior to the contract with Aramark, individual prisons had more flexibility to source food and create menus independently, including the ability to purchase from local farmers and vendors. Many had on-site bakeries, and some even had vegetable or cattle farms.

More than just a meal

Food in prisons is much more than just a meal—it has implications for health, safety, and rehabilitation behind bars.

Prison food is linked to acute and chronic health conditions among incarcerated people. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that incarcerated people contract foodborne illnesses at over six times the rate of the general population. An unhealthy prison diet also contributes to disproportionate rates of chronic disease behind bars. Incarcerated people are one-and-a-half times more likely to have high blood pressure, diabetes, or asthma than the general population, and 40 percent more likely to have any chronic illness. All told, between 39 and 43 percent of people in custody have at least one chronic health condition.

From a health and financial perspective, the negative consequences of an inadequate diet are clear. The Pennsylvania DOC plans to spend $358 million on medical care this fiscal year–about 12 percent of its overall budget. It will spend a fraction of that amount, $70 million, on food for people in state prisons. Given the role of food in promoting health and preventing chronic disease, investing more in healthy, nutritious food could bring significant savings to one of the department’s largest expense categories.

Incarcerated people are 40 percent more likely to have any chronic illness.

Food is important to maintaining a safe prison environment.

In addition, food is important to maintaining a safe prison environment. When meals don’t meet the nutritional and energy needs of incarcerated people, it may contribute to disorder, conflict, and violence in the prison. Scientific research on hunger has found that it can make people more impulsive, irritable, aggressive, anxious, and likely to use drugs. Energy in the form of glucose from the food we eat is required for self-control. The authors of a study in the journal PNAS linked low blood glucose to an increase in aggression in married couples, which suggested that providing more access to food could promote social harmony in a variety of other contexts. “This intervention might be especially important in stressful settings in which aggression might erupt, such as in prisons, psychiatric hospitals, and schools,” they wrote.

Aggression can lead to misconduct in prisons, which may put prison staff in danger. It can also extend people’s time incarcerated, as the parole board considers misconduct when determining release dates. Consequently, a small investment in keeping people satiated could have a larger return for staff safety and for taxpayers who pick up the tab for longer sentences.

Meals leave incarcerated people hungry THE STATE OF FOOD SERVICE IN THE DOC

The Prison Society’s nutritional analysis found that meals in Pennsylvania state prisons do not provide sufficient calories for the majority of incarcerated men who are at least moderately active, according to the standard set in the DGAs. These guidelines are determined based on a person’s gender, body size, age, and activity level, where “moderately active” is defined as “physical activity equivalent to walking 1.5 to 3 miles per day.”

The DGAs recommend 2,400 to 2,600 calories per day for a moderately active male population, which is the benchmark used by prisons in New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington state. The DOC menus in use at the time of our nutritional analysis only provided about 2,200 to 2,300 calories per day.

This finding is consistent with what incarcerated men report. When the Prison Society’s research team spoke with incarcerated men during visits to state prisons, many of them reported that they were hungry even after finishing a full meal tray. In the survey of incarcerated people we undertook as part of our research, 80% of incarcerated men said they were hungry every day between meals.

Though the calorie content of the menus meets women’s needs according to the DGAs, the majority of incarcerated women also experienced hunger. Seventy percent of incarcerated women responding to our survey reported going hungry every day.

This finding underscores the fact that not all calories have an equal impact when it comes to hunger. Calories from high-fiber, nutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins are better at meeting energy needs and promoting a feeling of fullness.

Some DOC food service policies also contribute to hunger. Meals are served on a schedule that leaves a gap of up to 14 hours between dinner and breakfast the next day. Incarcerated men we spoke with at State Correctional Institution (SCI) Chester, for example, said that dinner is served at around 4:30 p.m., and breakfast is not served until 6:30 a.m. the next day. As a result, incarcerated people seek alternatives to stave off hunger, such as saving parts of their meals for later. In the survey, 56% of respondents said they ration their meals in this way.

Not

all calories have an equal impact when it comes to hunger.

“ The food is always cold and the servings are so small sometimes I go hungry all day.”

SCI Greene

“ A full inmate is a happy inmate. Less tension and violence.”

—SCI Phoenix

“ We would like our food hot and not cold as it is most of the

time.

We would definitely like

more

portions, some people can’t afford commissary (this is a major issue). A lot of people who don’t have ... family support lay down hungry at night or have to beg.”

—SCI Phoenix

“ Food is delivered in an insulated push cart ... It sits [on the cellblock] for at least 45 minutes before delivering it to the inmates. Food is never hot and is often all mixed together on the tray from its ride over the sidewalk cracks.

”

—SCI Albion

In addition, the DOC’s policy of serving meals in-cell, adopted during the pandemic, has led to meals frequently becoming cold by the time they are eaten. Previously, meals were served in dining halls located next to kitchens. Since the pandemic, meals are placed on trays that are then transported to housing units in insulated carts. Food in trays is often mixed together during the long ride from the kitchen to the housing unit. And incarcerated people frequently report that carts sit for hours before the food is served. As a result, incarcerated people report, almost universally, that food is regularly served at the wrong temperature (98% of survey respondents). Almost half (47%) say that meals are never served at the correct temperature.

In the Prison Society’s previous survey on food service during the pandemic, 73% of respondents reported receiving fewer hot meals than before dining halls were closed. Incarcerated people report that the carts used to transport meals from the kitchen often arrive on the cellblock long before being served.

Despite this finding, the DOC has maintained the practice in all but one prison: the women’s facility SCI Muncy. It is notable that much fewer women reported food being served at the wrong temperature.

Meals do not provide a healthy diet

Our analysis found that DOC menus contain twice the amount of starchy vegetable and refined carbohydrate servings than the DGAs recommend, and only half the recommended amount of fruit and vegetable servings. They also fall short on recommended servings of whole grains, dairy, and seafood.

Incarcerated people also report a lack of fruits and vegetables in their diet, and say they want more of them. In the survey, nearly half (45.7%) said that they are not served fresh fruit every day, and almost as many (41.9%) said they do not receive green vegetables every day.

“ Need more fresh fruit and whole grains.”

“ Side dish vegetables are too small, too small portions of breakfast cereal, food is cold mostly.”

—SCI Albion

—SCI Greene “ They don’t give adequate portions of a variety of vegetables. Most of the time, you get cubed carrots. Any other vegetables, you get very small portions.”

—SCI Dallas

“ There are way too many carbohydrates on trays, there should [be] less fillers and more good quality food.”

—SCI Muncy

“ [I would like] more fresh food in commissary.”

—SCI Greene

“ [I would like] healthy snacks between meals or larger portions. ”

—SCI Muncy

As a result of the overuse of refined carbohydrates and the lack of fruits and vegetables, DOC menus do not provide enough dietary fiber, increasing the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and gastrointestinal conditions. They are also low on calcium, which is important for bone health and Vitamin D absorption.

It’s also unclear whether the DOC follows any guidelines to limit saturated fat and added sugars. Too much saturated fat increases the risk for heart disease. Too much added sugar can also contribute to heart disease, as well as other health problems like obesity and type 2 diabetes.

In lieu of fresh fruits and vegetables, prison menus are full of processed foods, making meals both less nutritious and less flavorful. Fruit servings often come from canned fruit, which may contain added sugar. Most poultry dishes are made from precooked chicken, and vegetarian menus offer mostly highly-processed soy chunks and soy crumbles. These proteins typically contain more sodium and food additives and are less palatable after cooking than fresher alternatives. It is telling that the number one favorite dish reported by incarcerated people in our survey is chicken quarters, which uses raw chicken that is fully cooked on-site.

Hunger forces incarcerated people to fill up on expensive junk food

In the survey, 70% of incarcerated people said that they buy food from the prison commissary to stave off hunger. The review of commissary product lists found that the types of food available are high in calories, sodium, and added sugar. The most popular items incarcerated people report buying include honey buns, instant ramen noodles, cookies, and potato chips, providing empty calories without essential vitamins or minerals. This puts an already vulnerable population at greater chronic disease risk.

While there are some healthier foods on commissary lists—like nuts, peanut butter, and raisins—they are far outnumbered by unhealthy items. Moreover, incarcerated people we spoke with during our research in state prisons reported that healthier commissary items are frequently out of stock.

“ If you can’t afford or are unable to buy commissary you’ll be severely hungry. ”

—SCI Forest “ Portions are so small that without commissary you would always be hungry.”

—SCI Coal Township

A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

Shortly after we shared our findings with the DOC in February 2024, the department updated its menus. In a memo to the incarcerated population, the DOC promised the menu “refresh” would offer new meals, increased portions, and more fresh fruit. The memo further stated that the new menus would “meet or exceed the daily goals for calories, protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, and sodium for the majority of the DOC population as established by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025.”

This is a major step in the right direction. The Prison Society’s independent nutrition analysis of the menu changes confirms that it addresses several of the issues identified, providing more calories, meeting guidelines for dietary fiber, and serving more fruits and vegetables.

But there is still much room for improvement. The new menu still falls short on most of the same nutrition measures as the old menu. While it increases daily calories to 2,320, menus still need to provide up to 280 additional calories to meet the DGA recommendations for moderately active males. Fruit and vegetable servings, while greater than before, still fail to meet the recommendations of the DGAs. It is also unclear whether any adjustments were made to calcium, which was found to be deficient in the old menus, or whether new standards or guidelines were introduced for controlling saturated fat and added sugar.

Issues unrelated to the menus also remain unaddressed, including the long gap between dinner and breakfast and the problem of food being served at the wrong temperature.

The Next Steps

The department’s food service contract is set to expire, creating a pivotal opportunity to begin changing the culture of prison food service.

There are many steps the department could take to address malnourishment and hunger as it bids out its food service contract.

ADDRESS HUNGER

● Include an increase in calories for men in the new RFP language to better align with the DGAs. This could include offering two different menus (that differentiate in serving sizes) – one for men and one for women – that better reflect the calorie needs of these distinct populations.

● If the department is uncertain whether the majority of the male population fits the DGA description of “moderately active,” it should conduct a study on activity level of the population.

● Offer second helpings to all individuals who are still hungry after eating meals and establish this in DOC policy and the upcoming RFP language.

● Change DOC policy so that less time passes between meals (10 to 12 hours is more representative of a typical eating schedule). Serving dinner one to two hours later so there is less of a time gap between the start of dinner and the start of breakfast service would address this issue.

● Alternatively, maintain the current dinner time and add an extra healthy snack after dinner and specify this in DOC policy.

TACKLE COMMISSARY FOOD

● Adopt a healthy, flexible commissary policy that still allows choice but increases the availability of healthier items. The policy would address sodium, added sugar, and dietary fiber, and would provide requirements for the availability of products across specific food categories.

● Provide pricing incentives for healthier options like nuts, whole grains, and lean proteins.

● Reverse the DOC policy prohibiting commissary food purchases by people in restricted housing units (i.e. solitary confinement).

● Increase wages for prison jobs to help offset the costs of supplementary commissary food that incarcerated people need to stave off hunger.

SAFEGUARD HEALTH THROUGH NUTRITION

● Increase calcium by offering yogurt or other low-fat dairy products at breakfast, more leafy greens, and other calcium-rich foods.

● Replace recipes made with pre-cooked or processed proteins with ones made from raw, whole-food ingredients.

● Establish guidelines for saturated fat and added sugar, following DGA recommendations.

● Give prisons more autonomy to procure their own food supply, allowing them to source more fresh, local food.

ADDRESS FOOD TEMPERATURE AND SPOILAGE

● Reopen dining halls for all three meals, as in the SCI Muncy model.

● Alternatively, return to dining halls for hot meals, e.g. exclusively for dinner or lunch. For example, in Arizona state prisons, breakfast and lunch are hot and served in dining halls. Dinner is served cold on the unit.

● If service of meals in housing units continues, consider:

● Serving food in shifts in the central dayroom area of housing units rather than in cells, or

● Transporting food in large vats, placing it directly on cafeteria-style heater tables, and putting food on trays in the unit.

● Establishing a regular, systemic way for incarcerated people to give formal, anonymous, feedback on food service to continue to improve menus in a way that reflects their needs and preferences.

The Prison Society has offered assistance to the DOC in taking these steps, and we look forward to working together to improve nutrition in state prisons.

About the Research

The Prison Society’s project evaluating food service in Pennsylvania state prisons was led by Arielle Herman, a registered dietician with expertise in institutional food procurement and food policy. Herman performed a nutritional analysis of the DOC’s menus as of April 2022 and the new menus introduced in February 2024. She reviewed the commissary product list, food service contracts, and DOC food policy documents. She also conducted a national scan of prison food policy. Herman and the Prison Society staff conducted site visits to interview kitchen staff, DOC food service managers, and approximately 70 incarcerated men and women across three state prisons. The Prison Society also developed a survey on prison food that was included in our Graterfriends newsletter circulated in state prisons in July 2023. The survey received 595 responses from people in DOC custody.

Several national organizations provided guidance to the Prison Society on this project, including Impact Justice, the Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the City of Philadelphia Department of Public Health, the Good Food Purchasing Program, The Common Market, and the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association.

Carolyn Cannuscio, associate professor of family health and community medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, and Jeffery Lin, associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at the University of Denver and principal at Crossover Research LLC, also reviewed a research memo on which this report is based. We thank them for their valuable feedback.

This project was funded by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies. Jessi Silverman, senior policy associate at CSPI, has been instrumental in seeing this project to fruition.

The Prison Society could not have undertaken this project without the cooperation and partnership of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections under the leadership of Secretary Laurel Harry. Secretary Harry dedicated her own time and the time of her senior staff to reviewing and providing feedback on this research. We wish to thank the administrations of SCI Dallas, SCI Chester, and SCI Muncy for facilitating tours of food service areas. Most especially, we would like to thank Craig Copper, Chief of the DOC Food Services Division, for his time and input, as well as the time and input of his team including, dietitians Felicia Miller and Chelsea Wilson.