Meatless diets would save taxpayers billions while improving prisoner health.
Meat is expensive per calorie. For example, substituting beans for ground beef as the main ingredient in just one meal served to all those currently incarcerated in the US would save two million dollars per meal purchased at BLS prices.
The USDA's guidelines indicate meatless diets are nutritionally healthier than meat-based diets and result in lower obesity levels, risk of cardiovascular disease, blood pressure and total mortality. Nearly half of prisoners are overweight and a third suffer from hypertension.
Numerous federal courts have found meatless diets to constitutionally accommodate most religious and personal dietary restrictions. Thus, this would simplify and reduce the cost of accommodation.