Development of a Nutrition - Based Meal Planning Program for Inmates in Thailand

Abstract

The Department of Corrections currently employs a 31-day cycle menu guideline for inmate meal planning, providing three meals daily. The guideline includes 76 menu sets—31 from the Central region and 15 each from the Northern, Southern, and Northeastern regions—each comprising 4 to 5 food items. In total, the system includes 184 distinct food items, excluding duplicates (Fiscal Year B.E 2567; 2024). Despite this structure, the program faces challenges related to limited menu variety and difficulties sourcing ingredients locally, primarily due to budgetary constraints. This study aimed to: (1) examine existing issues in prison meal planning; (2) develop a nutrition-based meal planning program tailored to correctional settings; and (3) evaluate the effectiveness of the developed program. Data were collected from 137 correctional officers responsible for meal planning in institutions without in-house nutritionists, using an online questionnaire. These findings informed the development of a practical meal planning tool incorporating ingredient proportions, nutritional content, sample menus, and user guidance. Most participants were male, averaging 44 years of age, with six years of relevant work experience. The majority held a bachelor’s degree and showed a good understanding of nutrition and food preparation. Challenges in implementing the Department’s standard menus were identified, including budget limitations, inconsistent ingredient availability, cultural food preferences, and varying institutional contexts. Respondents expressed the need for a nutrition-guided, adaptable meal planning tool. The developed program features 1,313 menu items with detailed ingredient and seasoning quantities, energy values, and macronutrient breakdowns. It operates via a cloud-based Microsoft Excel platform. Upon implementation, the majority of users reported high satisfaction with the program’s efficiency, usability, and applicability in daily inmate meal planning. In conclusion, the developed program improves the flexibility and nutritional quality of correctional meal planning. It shows strong potential for wider adoption across the prison system and may serve as a foundation for advancing sustainable, evidence-based nutrition policy within the Department of Corrections.