In prison, you need to work 18 hours to afford a can of 7-Up
Because there’s an economy behind bars too.
We all know that feel when we’re at the baseball stadium: $5 for a water bottle?! Really?!
But the stadium can get away with it, because demand is high. Sometimes, outside food and drink is not allowed. Most events have no re-entry. Even then, almost no one is willing to make a trek to the nearest convenience store for a water bottle during the game.
But imagine you lived in a society where the demand for supplies and goods was always high. Imagine being in prison.
Yes, most prisons give inmates three square meals a day and the bare necessities they need to live. But most jailhouse menus are designed to be low-sugar, low-salt and contain a moderate amount of calories. And for some prisoners, the amount of food can be insufficient or straight-up gross.
That’s when they turn to the prison commissary. Tightly controlled by the prison, the commissary offers a variety of items that can be purchased by inmates.
Keep in mind, as a prisoner, you would need someone on the outside to fund your commissary account. If you have no one to do so, or you’re in poverty (like many are before they enter prison), you need to work a job behind bars to buy something from the commissary.
The minimum wage at a federal prison starts at $0.12/hour and taps out at $0.40/hour. Taking that into consideration, here’s a food commissary list for the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, Calif.
Our conclusions…
- Food in prison is freakin’ expensive. A package of Taster’s Choice Coffee costs $7.80. A can of RC Cola is $2.35. You can get these products on the outside for a fraction of this price. Prisons can get away with this like baseball stadiums do. There is a giant demand for these products, which drives the price up. Commissaries virtually have no competitors, so prices will never go down.
- For someone who doesn’t have help from the outside, it’s tough to afford items from commissary. It would take you 18 hours of work to afford a can of 7-Up.
- Although most of these items are considered luxury in prison, there are some oddity items in-stock. Canned mackarel anyone?
Drinks
Sorry, no craft beer or cold brew coffee in prison. Taster’s Choice coffee is sold at a premium in prison. Also, no Coke or Pepsi is available. Is RC Cola ok?
RC Cola: $2.35
7-Up: $2.25
Diet 7-Up: $2.35
6 pack of bottled water (16oz a bottle): $3.75
French Vanilla Cappuccino mix: $1.40
V-8 Juice: $1.15
Gatorade: $0.90
Cranberry Juice: $1.20
Drink Mix (whatever that is) — Sugar Free 8pk: $1.20
Taster’s Choice Coffee: $7.80
Coffee Regular: $2.70
Coffee Decaf: $3.30
Decaffeinated Tea: $3.35
Caffeinated Tea: $1.80
Hot Chocolate Regular: $3.75
Hot Chocolate — Sugar Free: $1.80
Nestea Iced Tea: $2.00
Non-Fat Instant Milk: $3.00
Cherry Drink Mix: $2.15
Candy
Who says life can’t be sweet on the inside?
Hershey’s Chocolate Bar: $1.70
Hershey’s Almond Bar: $1.70
Caramels: $1.00
Jolly Ranchers (Assorted): $0.85
Jolly Ranchers (Fire): $2.10
Starlite Mints: $0.85
Licorice: $1.30
Soup
Instant ramen noodles are like gold in prison. In fact, a few ex-prisoners wrote a cookbook on how to cook with ramen noodles.
Salsa Picante Shrimp Instant Noodles: $0.55
Thai Noodle Soup: $0.70
Ramen: $0.25
Condiments
Ok, we all know that food in prison isn’t Jose Garces quality. So condiments are everything for prisoners. A bit of hot sauce might make their food barely edible.
Non Dairy Creamer: $1.80
Sugar Substitute: $3.75
Garlic Powder: $1.30
Onion Powder: $1.30
Seasoned Salt: $1.95
Honey: $2.80
Jalapeño Peppers: $1.90
El Pato Picante Sauce: $1.15
Sweet Asian Sauce: $1.80
Chili Garlic Sauce: $1.50
Salt & Pepper: $1.70
Furikake: $3.75
Mayonnaise: $3.30
Kosher Pickles: $0.95
Soy Sauce: $1.75
Olive Oil: $2.70
Cream Cheese: $0.35
Jelly: $2.60
Lemon Juice: $1.00
Hershey Syrup: $3.25
“Entrees”
This is the good stuff. The cream of the crop. If you’re looking to stay away from cafeteria food, you can count on these items to fill you up.
Canned Salmon: $2.95
Tuna: $2.75
Chicken: $3.60
Mackerel 1.25
Summer Sausage: $1.55
Shredded Beef: $5.85
Spam: $1.25
Beef Bites: $2.30
Turkey Bites: $2.30
White Rice: $0.95
Brown Rice: $1.20
Nacho Cheese Rice: $1.45
Whole Kernel Corn: $1.40
Pepperoni Slices: $2.30
Pizza Kit: $3.65
Taco Mix: $1.95
5 Corn Tortillas: $1.00
5 Flour Tortillas: $1.30
2 Corn Tostadas: $2.40
Refried Beans: $1.30
Chili Beans: $1.45
Beans and Chorizo: $2.05
Oatmeal: $1.90
Peanut Butter: $2.55
Snacks
Craving some Oreos? At $2.10 a package, the cookies are sold at a premium.
Nacho Cheese Chips: $1.50
Plain Tortilla Chips: $1.90
Pretzels: $1.80
Potato Chips: $1.80
Vanilla Wafers: $2.10
Snack Crackers: $2.05
Cinnamon Honey Grahams: $2.15
Rice Cakes: $3.85
Oreo Cookies: $2.10
Raw Almonds: $3.00
Deluxe Mixed Nuts: $3.15
Trail Mix: $3.10
Salted Cashews: $1.80
Prunes: $2.70
Marshmallows: $1.95
Pudding: $2.00
Olives: $1.35
Pork Rinds: $0.95
Popcorn: $0.55
Dried Fruit: $3.00
Party Mix: $1.75
Pop Tarts: $1.75
Granola Bars: $1.75
Protein Bars: $1.75
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