Annual spend on food at HMP Grampian has declined for the first time since it opened, thanks to a reduction in demand for kosher meals.
During 2014/15, the first year the prison was open, £300,127 was spent on meals.
That figure continued to rise and peaked in 2017/18 with £505,057.
But in newly released figures, the 2018/19 spend dropped by £36,000 to £469,056.
And the Scottish Prison Service believe the cause is due to a change in policy for requesting certain diets.
Spokesman Tom Fox said: “For several years we had people declaring they were only able to eat a kosher diet as they knew it was more costly.
“To combat this we’ve introduced a policy which has a more rigorous registration and we’ve since, across Scotland, had fewer kosher inmates.”
And the figures for across Scotland reflect that, as they also follow the trend of a steady rise between 2014 and 2017/18 before a drop in the 2018/19 figure.
Last night the menu for the prison was also released.
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Breakfast consists of cereal, bread and milk – with double the amount of milk on weekends.
Lunch has varied options of daily soups, salads and two other choices including quiche, burger, veggie haggis, pizza or a pasty.
There are three options for evening meals, which include fish and chips, pork chops, curry, steak pie and Quorn sausages, followed by a dessert or fruit.
On average in 2018/19 the cost per prisoner amounted to £2.79, a rise on the 2015 to 2017 cost.
Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr said: “While the overall amount spent on food at Grampian has gone down, the cost per prisoner has gone up.
“Looking at the menu, inmates at Grampian are being treated well enough.
“Recently we have seen much greater concerns at the prison and YOI, however.
“The SNP Government needs to address the staffing crisis and number of assaults on prison officers, which is far more challenging than its menu choices.”
But in the recent report which found the staffing crisis to negatively impact all areas of the establishment, the food was commended with the canteen receiving praise.
Prison staff crisis leads to unchallenged bullying and prisoners in cells up to 23 hours a day
Banffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson praised the prison for its culinary efforts.
He said: “It is important to provide healthy meals whilst making sure it is done so at a sustainable cost.
“Historically prisoners rated the food as good.
“I hope we can continue to deliver food that satisfies. Its role in maintaining a calm atmosphere in prison is vital.”
