The NYC Department of Corrections will now supply incarcerated people and jail staff with food choices that help better the health and have a less negative influence on the environment.
As of 2nd of December, the DOC will present meatless menus across their jails every Monday of the week.
This decision comes as a part of the Meatless Monday movement, which is an effort to better the health of people who’re in custody and minimize their carbon footprint and thus, fight off climate change.
All of the DOC sectors, including the staff, will be part of the Meatless Monday and there will be plenty of vegetarian choices offered for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Chief of Staff at DOC, Brenda Cooke, claims that meat removal at least once per week from our diets lowers our risk of heart illness and stroke and helps us boost our daily consumption of whole grains, fruits, and veggies.
Cooke further notes that if the whole US avoided meat or cheese for one day in the week, it would equal to not driving 7.6 million cars on the roads. The DOC is very proud of participating in this initiative and helping better the wellness and health of people who’re in custody.
Plant-Based Diets Have a lot of Benefits to Offer
Eric L. Adams, president of Vegan Brooklyn Borough, has been working with several NYC sectors to modernize and better their programs and menus, including NYC public schools and the DOC and all 1700 of them have adopted the Meatless Monday program.
Last year, Adams helped in the implementation of the Plant-Based Lifestyle Medicine Program at the NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue medical system.
This program aids patients to heal diseases like obesity, heart illness, and type 2 diabetes using plant-based nutrition rather than meds.
This major step that DOC is taking helps make New York a leader in public health, claims Adams. He’s thankful for the department to be working with them to better the lives of incarcerated sisters, brothers, and fellow New Yorkers, as well as the staff members.
The menu in DOC jails will also feature fresh fruits, cereals, whole-wheat bread, vegetarian chilli, brown rice, steamed veggies, veggie burgers, and salads.
Sadly, the typical menus at city jails include mashed potatoes and chicken patties. Thanks to this innovative meatless menu, they will offer more nutritious options.
Sources: