US Prisons to Start Offering Vegan Meals

Starting on October 2, every federal prison in the country will begin offering vegan entrées to its prisoners, activist and author Mark Hawthorne reports. The Federal Bureau of Prisons introduced its new national menu for the 2017 fiscal year—which includes Tofu Fried Rice, Soy Taco Salad, Bean Burritos, and Soy Hot Dogs—and says the unprecedented move came after an annual assessment of inmate eating preferences and other operational factors. “The Bureau seeks to provide a variety of options, including vegan options, which also support religious dietary accommodations,” Justin Long, spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, told Hawthorne. Earlier this year, actress and long-time vegan Pamela Anderson made headlines when she urged the Louisiana prison system to adopt a vegan menu in an effort to save taxpayer money and spare animal lives.