Eating Behind Bars: Ending the Hidden Punishment of Food in Prison

Winner, 2026 James Beard Media Award for Food Issues and Advocacy

A vivid exploration of the food crisis affecting millions of incarcerated Americans, Eating Behind Bars sheds new light on the power—and peril—of what’s on our plates

 “This eye-opening book will convince you that everyone—absolutely everyone—is deserving of nourishing food that affirms their humanity and dignity.”—José Andrés, chef and humanitarian

Prisons and jails are America’s hidden “food deserts,” where hunger and malnourishment coexist with shocking levels of food waste because much of what is served is so awful it ends up in the trash. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are tense and humiliating when incarcerated people are forced to eat in silence, finish meals within minutes, and disciplined with food deliberately worse than the standard fare.

This disturbing portrait came to light in 2020 when the nonprofit Impact Justice released the first-ever national examination of food in prison, catapulting the issue from the margins of prison litigation to the center of national conversations about mass incarceration and food justice. This landmark book digs deeper, revealing a systemic drive to cut costs at the expense of health and decency. It is also a story of resistance and hope, chronicling how incarcerated people and their allies are fighting back, as well as exploring “farm to tray” programs, chef-led initiatives, and other ways to make food in prison a source of healing and bring dignity back to the table.

Leslie Soble, an ethnographer and folklorist who specializes in food and foodways, is an internationally recognized voice on the carceral eating experience. In addition to leading the Food in Prison Project at Impact Justice, she is founder and artistic director of Story Soup, which facilitates dialogue across cultures and generations through food. She lives in Washington, DC.

Alex Busansky has spent the entirety of his career championing justice, working within existing legal systems, leading nonprofit organizations, and spearheading creative interventions that expand opportunity for system-impacted people. He is founder and president of Impact Justice and a board member of the Ms. Foundation for Women. He lives in Berkeley, California, with his family.

Dr. Aishatu R. Yusuf is a recognized change-maker with expertise in the systemic barriers that keep individuals and communities from reaching their potential. As vice president of innovation programs at Impact Justice, she oversees a portfolio of transformational projects that tackle complex social problems from an intersectional perspective. She lives in Oakland, California.

Operating nationally, the nonprofit Impact Justice is known for its bold ideas and boundary-breaking programs that challenge America’s obsession with endless punishment.