During the pandemic, many incarcerated individuals faced a harsh reality. They endured meager meals, consisting frequently of two bologna sandwiches for breakfast and supper, for months on end while prisons were on lockdown and staff sizes reduced. Small portions of poorly prepared oatmeal, sliced bread and, if fortunate, canned fruit comprised the offerings when regular food services resumed.
During my period of incarceration, I subsisted on a diet consisting mostly of unsanitary and poorly cooked trays of starches like grits and rice, dehydrated collard greens and canned meat. I never once in that time saw a fresh and nutritious meal. At one point, perhaps six or seven years ago, there seemed to be some effort to provide at least a decent portion size, and food not quite so terrible as is presently served. Over the past few years, however, the trays that slide through the chow hall window have hit the point of being unfit for human consumption.
