Georgia prison meals provide 800-1,000 calories. The recommended daily intake is 2,000-2,500. Inmates report roach fragments in cornbread, rats near food storage, and meals that arrive cold and inedible. The state added $1.2 million to the food budget—it bought one extra bologna sandwich on weekends. Georgia spends $1.5 billion on corrections annually while starving the people inside. 1
The Nutrition Crisis
Prison meals fall far below basic nutritional standards:
| Nutrient | Required | Actual | Deficit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Calories | 2,800-3,000 | 2,600 | -200 to -400 |
| Protein (g/day) | 100-120 | 85 | -15 to -35 |
| Dietary Fiber (g/day) | 25-30 | 18 | -7 to -12 |
| Vitamin C (mg/day) | 90 | 65 | -25 |
| Iron (mg/day) | 18 | 12 | -6 |
Meals consist of refined starches, sugars, and sodium—ingredients linked to chronic disease. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains rarely appear. What’s on official menus gets replaced with cheaper processed alternatives.
What Inmates Actually Receive
The gap between policy and reality is vast:
- 75% of inmates report food as inedible
- Grilled chicken replaced with processed patties—28g protein becomes 12g
- Fresh fruit swapped for canned alternatives
- Meal gaps of 10-14 hours — breakfast at 4:30 AM, nothing until 2:30 PM
- Weekend meals — a single cellophane-wrapped sandwich
Inmates have reported scavenging from trash cans due to hunger.
Food Safety Violations
Beyond nutrition, food safety fails basic standards:
- 68% of inmates report pest infestations in food areas
- Kitchen inspection scores as low as 72/100
- Improper food storage — temperature violations documented
- Cross-contamination — raw and cooked foods mixed
- Untrained handlers — 26% of foodborne illness linked to sick workers
Staff shortages—with vacancy rates reaching 80% at some facilities—mean no one monitors food safety consistently.
The Commissary Trap
Georgia forces hungry inmates to buy overpriced commissary items:
- Ramen soup — $0.39 in 2022, now $0.79 in 2024
- 99% of prison labor is unpaid—inmates can’t earn money for food
- Over half of inmates can’t afford commissary items
- 90% of commissary options are “very unhealthy” by state standards
The state starves people, then profits when families send money for food.
Health Consequences
Malnutrition produces measurable harm:
- Chronic disease rates 30-40% higher among inmates
- Weakened immune systems — more vulnerable to infections
- Weight loss of 40 pounds documented in months
- Mental health deterioration — hunger affects cognition and behavior
- Violence increases — studies show better food reduces incidents 25%
At 52.1 years, the average age at death in Georgia prisons falls decades below life expectancy. Malnutrition contributes. 2
Take Action
Use Impact Justice AI to send advocacy emails demanding adequate nutrition in Georgia prisons. The free tool crafts personalized messages to Georgia lawmakers—no experience required.
Demand:
- Meals meeting basic nutritional standards
- Food safety compliance at all facilities
- Reasonable commissary prices
- Independent oversight of prison food services
Further Reading
- Cruel and Unusual Dentistry: Inside Georgia’s Prison Dental Crisis
- $700 Million More—And Nothing to Show for It
- GPS Informational Resources
- Pathways to Success
About Georgia Prisoners’ Speak (GPS)
Georgia Prisoners’ Speak (GPS) is a nonprofit investigative newsroom built in partnership with incarcerated reporters, families, advocates, and data analysts. Operating independently from the Georgia Department of Corrections, GPS documents the truth the state refuses to acknowledge: extreme violence, fatal medical neglect, gang-controlled dorms, collapsed staffing, fraudulent reporting practices, and unconstitutional conditions across Georgia’s prisons.
Through confidential reporting channels, secure communication, evidence verification, public-records requests, legislative research, and professional investigative standards, GPS provides the transparency the system lacks. Our mission is to expose abuses, protect incarcerated people, support families, and push Georgia toward meaningful reform based on human rights, evidence, and public accountability.
Every article is part of a larger fight — to end the silence, reveal the truth, and demand justice.
