BOISE, Idaho — The Ada County Jail kitchen will begin the consolidation of its vegan and vegetarian meal programs beginning in March due to the jail being overpopulated and a high turnover of inmates.
In a Facebook post Tuesday, Ada County Sheriff's Office said the move is in an effort to relieve the "increasing meal prep pressure and training requirements" for the kitchen crew.
"Our industrial-sized inmate-staffed kitchen is at the absolute limit of what it can produce each day. For the last 12 months, our average daily population has been 1,019. The capacity of the jail is 1,116," read the post.
Ada County Jail hopes the change will save kitchen staff time, as the post said the jail population is "bursting at the seams – and every person in jail needs to eat three times a day."
The post said that the inmate kitchen serves roughly 3,600 meals a day.
Ada County Sheriff's Office said that the kitchen staff is made up of roughly 40 inmates, for whom the opportunity helps develop workplace skills, contribute to society and have something to do - as well as earn a weekly stipend of $10 for their commissary accounts.
The staff loses about 5 to 10 people a week, as inmates leave the jail, contributing to the necessity for simplified meal programs and kitchen training.
The majority of inmates opt for what is called a "mainline meal" consisting of meat and dairy products. However, alternatives must be provided for individuals with diet or medical restrictions - such as diabetes or low sodium.
The announcement said that the new vegan meal program is designed to meet all state and federal nutrition requirements, with the menu abiding by protein, calcium, daily caloric intake, and general nutrient requirements.
A vegetarian diet does not allow for any animal flesh like meat, poultry, or fish. The vegan diet is considered to be more strict, not allowing eggs, dairy, or any other ingredients derived from animals. Dairy items will be replaced with plant-based food items.
In addition to the mainline and vegan meal offerings, inmates can also request a kosher meal.
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