Nutritional care in the departments of corrections nationwide varies from state to state. However, one issue all states consistently struggle with is the cost of halal and kosher meals.
Before halal, which are Muslim meals, and kosher, which are Jewish meals, became standard in the corrections industry, many grievances were filed, often leading to litigation over not recognizing religious dietary standards.
More inmates in the U.S. are asking for halal and kosher meals. Because of this, the issues of cost and augmenting the kosher meals in a non-kosher kitchen have inspired discussion, writes Barbara Wakeen in the “Dietitian’s Corner” of the Association of Correctional Food Service Professionals’ Insider magazine.
In California, kosher meals are pre-packaged and halal meats are purchased from certified vendors then dispensed to all the facilities statewide. These prices vary from $2.60 to more than $8 per meal.
In Los Angeles County, microwave meals are served in facilities. The prices range from $2.82 to $3.20 each, for lunch and dinner for the kosher meal.
Throughout the country where there are kosher residents in non-kosher facilities, frozen foods from companies such as Sysco are ordered. Often pre-packaged meals are acceptable; however the question of whether an institution is doing all that it can to observe strict religious diets is often the topic of discussion.
Kosher meals and halal meat are more expensive than regular state-issued foods. The reason is that approval of these meals requires a rabbi or Islamic authority to authorize kitchen and supervision practices, as well as slaughtering techniques according to religious jurisprudence.
Many facilities around the country have adopted the kosher and halal meal paradigm, but it did not come without serious struggle by inmates seeking to have observance of their religious practices acknowledged and allowed by their corrections departments.
Wakeen also wrote, “The Arizona Department of Corrections settled a lawsuit after eight years of litigation where the inmate agreed to accept a kosher diet as an acceptable alternative to halal meats.”
