Food Service

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections is responsible for feeding nearly 38,000 incarcerated men and women every day as well as facility staff. We are extremely proud of everyo​ne invo​​lved in the process of developing menus, sourcing ingredients, preparing, and delivering more than 114,000 health-conscious meals daily and 41.5M meals per year. The PADOC employs two full-time dietitians on the food-service team to provide regular input on the master menu.

The master menu provides nutritionally balanced meals that reasonably accommodate the following diets: Heart Healthy, High Fiber, Liberal Diabetic, Lower Sodium, Low Fat, and Cardiac. ​Therapeutic diets and other nutritional interventions are available when medically necessary for individuals whose needs are not met through the regular master menu.​

​In July 2023, the PADOC surveyed 25,567 incarcerated people and found that 67 percent preferred on-unit dining, while 33 percent preferred the previous method of dining hall meals. On-unit feeding is popular among the incarcerated population because it affords more out-of-cell time during the day and a more relaxed dining experience.​