The US Army has revealed plans to introduce plant-based MREs (meals, ready to eat) by 2027, responding to feedback from service personnel who have called for more ethical, nutritious, and animal-friendly selections in their rations. Four out of the 24 MRE options will be vegan-friendly, marking the first time plant-based choices will be included in the regular menu for active-duty members.
The US Department of Defence, recently referred to as the “Department of War,” confirmed the changes last month, with the aim of keeping military rations in line with popularity, weight, and nutrition standards. Julie Edwards, registered dietitian and senior technologist at the US Army’s Combat Feeding Division, explained the updates, saying, “One service request was to include more plant-based items…for snacking, the Combat Feeding Division has developed plant-based animal crackers, a new recovery bar, a protein bar, and fruit-flavoured cereal.”
The campaign for plant-based MREs has long been championed by Mercy For Animals, which emphasised that the military serves over 37 million MREs a year. The upcoming changes could mean 6.5 million vegan meals are now provided annually to personnel. Their 2022 survey of 226 active-duty service members revealed that 81% believed the military should offer plant-based options, 69% felt these options should be made available as MREs, and more than half expressed a preference for choosing them over conventional animal-based versions.
Although official figures on the number of vegans serving are unavailable, there is a perception within the ranks that numbers are rising. In a 2019 interview with the Guardian, Chief Petty Officer Thomas Shearin, a mechanic in the US Coast Guard, said, “It seems like every unit that I go to and visit, I come across people that are vegan, or who want to go vegan, and they’re just not sure how to do it.” The announcement follows similar progress by the UK’s Royal Air Force, which recently secured the right for personnel to wear vegan uniforms, reflecting a broader trend towards animal-friendly policies in military organisations.
