Vegan is Kosher For Israeli Defense Forces

The Israeli Defense Forces has introduced vegan rations with increase in number of vegan combat soldiers.

The vegan combat rations will include hummus and tahini, beans in tomato sauce, cocoa spread, halva, green olives, peas and canned fruit, Jerusalem Online reported Tuesday.

Veganism has long ceased to be a marginal phenomenon and a diet free of animal ingredients has become a major part of the lives of many Israelis. In order to cope with the increase in the number of vegan combat soldiers, the Technology and Logistics Division in the IDF decided to launch new vegan combat rations, the IDF's website reported Tuesday. According to them, "Our goal is to take care of each soldier's personal needs."

"The new rations include hummus and tahini, beans in tomato sauce, cocoa spread, halva, green olives, peas and canned fruit," Lt. Col. Donna Steinfeld, head of the food industry in the IDF's Technology and Logistics Division was quoted as saying by the news portal. The IDF will soon be able to offer 50,000 new combat rations to its vegan combat soldiers.

Steinfeld explained that once the IDF realized that the current combat rations were not nutritious enough for combat soldiers with vegan lifestyles, they understood that they needed to provide special combat rations that would meet their unique needs. "This means food that contains protein and iron," she explained. "Exactly what soldiers in the field need to give them strength."

Steinfeld explained that the contents of the vegan combat rations are subject to change, depending on the soldiers’ responses. Until about three years ago, vegan soldiers received special economic allowances to buy food instead of eating in military dining rooms.

In 2014, a large number of soldiers demanded that the army provide healthy vegan options on all bases. The IDF took their request seriously, especially considering the numerous complaints that were filed on the matter. As a result, for the past three years, the IDF has been making efforts to offer suitable alternatives to its vegan soldiers.