It depends on where you are designated. One thing is certain: regardless of where you, are the food is terrible. Think lowest bidder won contracts. Expired and waste.
You’ll be fed stuff that’s gross but filling, if you can stomach the taste of it.
A typical breakfast might consist of “biscuits and gravy” which is nothing like actual B&G, it’s more like shortbread squares covered in a tan gravy made from water and powdered gravy mix and some TVP (texturized vegetable protein AKA soy) to simulate sausage, but it has the texture of overcooked hamburger and the flavor of nothing.
There will also be some really bad cornbread (you may get some syrup for it) and watery grits.
Lunch might be a couple of bologna sandwiches with a couple pieces of fruit, some steamed vegetables and some beans, and more lousy cornbread.
Dinner might be “Salisbury steak” which is a couple of soy hamburger patties drowning in a different but still flavorless gravy, some instant mashed potatoes, canned peas, some canned fruit salad, more of that excellent cornbread or a couple slices of white bread like the stuff your bologna sandwich was made of, and maybe a piece of cake made from crap in a box.
By far, most inmates actually prepare their own food – purchased in commissary – back in the dormitories.
Prison has a way of unlocking your creativity when it comes to preparing food.
For example, some inmates will save the chicken from lunch (usually inside their t-shirt because CO’s won’t allow you to take food back to your dorm) and then mix it in to their ramen noodles with an excessive amount of flavor condiments.
I have also witnessed inmates mixing in tuna, egg salad, fish sticks with ramen.
Ramen is going to be your best friend in prison. Ramen is used as a base for all types of concoctions.
Inmates also get together and prepare food. They trade food with each other and usually one inmate prepares the food for the whole gang.
Since we are not allowed any plates or cutlery inside our dorms, most inmates will cut a 2 liter soda bottle in half, and then use those as bowls for their food.
How do you cut the soda bottle you ask? You take a piece of string and rub the string back and forth from the middle of the bottle. The friction will cause the soda bottle to start tearing.
For cutlery, most inmates just steal the plastic forks and knives from the mess hall.
The only special treat you will get in prison is during Thanksgiving. For Thanksgiving, you will get turkey, stuffing and yams. Compared to the mundane and routine food that you have to eat every day, Thanksgiving is truly a special holiday in prison.