Vegan school meal facts for kids

A vegan school meal is a plant-based food option served at school. This means the meal contains no meat, dairy, eggs, or other animal products. These meals are becoming more common in schools around the world. For example, big cities like Los Angeles, California (2018), Portland, Maine (2019), and New York City (2022) have added vegan choices to their school menus. Some private schools even serve only vegan food!

Why Schools Offer Vegan Meals

For a long time, school meals, especially in places like the United States and Europe, mostly had meat and dairy. But now, more schools are adding vegan and plant-based options.

There are many reasons why schools decide to offer vegan meals. These reasons often come from local communities or government policies.

• Healthy Choices: Some people believe vegan meals are very nutritious.
• Allergies: Vegan meals can be safer for students with allergies to dairy or eggs.
• Different Cultures: They can also fit the dietary needs of students from various cultural backgrounds.
• Helping the Planet: Many people think plant-based foods are better for the environment.

Sometimes, schools that add vegan lunches get complaints. And schools that don't offer them might face criticism. The idea of adding vegan lunches is also connected to the Meatless Monday campaign, which encourages people to eat no meat on Mondays.

In 2006, a survey found that only a small number of schools in the United States offered vegan options. By 2017, this number grew! About 14% of school districts across the country were offering vegan lunches.

What Are Vegan School Lunches Like?

Vegan school lunches can be really tasty and diverse! Here are some examples of what schools are serving:

• Sloppy Joes in Teofilandia, Brazil
• Hummus pizza and Kung Pao tofu in Portland, Maine, USA
• Root vegetable soup in Porvoo, Finland
• Vegan chicken nuggets in Deerfield, Illinois, USA
• Vegan quesadillas and Szechuan noodles in Kittery, Maine, USA
• Falafel sandwiches and stuffed vegan peppers at Fort Walton Beach, Florida, USA
• Vegan tamales and vegan teriyaki burgers in Los Angeles, California, USA

In 2022, New York City public schools started "Vegan Fridays." On these days, students get vegan lunches like chickpea wraps and veggie tacos.

Schools That Are Fully Vegan

Some schools take it a step further and serve only vegan food to their students.

• In 2015, the MUSE School in Calabasas, California became the first K–12 (kindergarten through 12th grade) school in the United States to be fully vegan.
• The German International School in Chennai, India, also went vegan in the 2017–2018 school year. It was the first K–12 vegan school in India.
• In February 2022, the Our Lady of Sion School in Worthing, West Sussex, England, became the first school in England to have a completely vegan kitchen. They serve meals like Fillet Fisch burgers, butternut squash and sweet potato Tikka Masala, and tofu tacos.

Why Vegan Meals Matter for the Planet

Many people are concerned about climate change. Governments are looking for ways to reduce pollution, including serving food that has a smaller impact on the environment.

Organizations like Friends of the Earth say that vegan school meals are good for:

• The Planet: They can help reduce the carbon footprint of food.
• Student Health: They can offer healthy food choices.
• School Budgets: They might even save schools money.

However, in some places, groups that support meat and dairy products are very powerful. For example, in the United States, schools are required to serve cow's milk.

Many people and groups support adding vegan options to school menus. These include:

• Musician Sir Paul McCartney
• New York City Mayor Eric Adams
• Environmental advocate Suzy Amis Cameron
• The Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine
• The Vegan Society
• The Humane Society's Forward Food program