Image represents an ideal balanced meal as a vision for improved nutrition.
Food and Nutrition in Michigan Prisons
A Family Perspective
As the Family Program Director for Citizens for Prison Reform, I hear from families every week about the struggles their loved ones face when it comes to food and nutrition inside Michigan Department of Corrections facilities. Food may seem like a simple part of daily life, but inside it becomes a major concern that affects health, dignity, and hope.
With Thanksgiving just days away, many families are feeling this worry even more deeply. The holidays are a time when we gather around meals, share traditions, and take comfort in knowing the people we love are fed and cared for. For families with an incarcerated loved one, this season can heighten the anxiety and helplessness that already surrounds concerns about prison food.
Many families share stories about small portions, low quality meals, and a lack of fresh fruits and vegetables. For many individuals living with medical needs, these concerns become even more urgent. We hear from families who are trying to advocate for loved ones with diabetes or other diet related conditions who are not receiving the proper meals required to keep them safe and healthy. We have even been told about situations where medically-ordered diets were not followed, that lead to significant health consequences.
Food affects far more than physical health. It influences mental wellness, behavior, the ability to engage in programming, and overall stability. When someone is hungry or unwell, it becomes harder to focus on rehabilitation, education, or personal growth. Food plays a vital role in supporting a healthy mind, body, and spirit and that level of care should be an essential part of rehabilitation.
Families feel this deeply, especially during the holiday season. They describe how painful it is to know they cannot provide something as basic as a nourishing meal for someone they love. Their worry reflects a larger truth: access to adequate, healthy food is a basic human need, and it should not depend on incarceration status.
After hearing these concerns from families and discussing them within our team at Citizens for Prison Reform, we realized that we needed clearer and more detailed information in order to advocate for meaningful change. Together, we decided to create a Food and Nutrition Survey to help us learn more about what is happening inside facilities across the state.
The survey helps us gather information about meal quality, portion sizes, access to medical diets, and any food safety issues your loved one may be experiencing. The information you share will guide our advocacy efforts and help us push for healthier and more supportive conditions inside Michigan prisons.
Click the button below to take the survey:
Families deserve to know that their loved ones are being cared for in a way that supports their health and future. We will continue to listen, document, and advocate for meaningful improvements. Thank you for being part of this effort.
As we enter the holiday season, our team is holding you and your loved ones in our hearts. We know this time of year can be especially heavy for families separated by incarceration. Please know that you are not alone, and we are wishing you peace, strength, and moments of comfort in the days ahead.
Tiffany Walker, Family Program Director
Citizens for Prison Reform
Thank you for this truthful article on the food crisis in our prison’s here in Michigan. Yes and what a serious crisis it is!! My only child, adult child is incarcerated here and he tells me how he struggles every single miserable day with food and not enough to eat! I’m alone here and very indigent yet I try every month to send him $50 for commissary, however, I’m struggling myself, unfortunately this month I could not afford to send even one dollar. I feel so terrible about this, everyday I cry, especially knowing this is the holiday season. God bless every inmate.
Thank you for reading and your comment. I’m really sorry you and your son are going through something so painful. What you shared reflects a heavy emotional and financial burden, and it makes sense that this season, especially, would make everything feel even harder. Your love for him is very clear, and the fact that you’ve done everything you can, even when you have so little yourself, speaks to your strength and dedication.
Please be gentle with yourself; none of this is your fault.
Your voice, and the voices of families like yours, truly matter. If you’re willing, your experience can help bring more attention to exactly these issues.
We invite you to take part by completing our survey here:
https://form-usa.keela.co/food-and-nutrition-in-prison
Your input can help strengthen advocacy efforts for better conditions and more humane treatment.