According to The Daily Caller, Oakland Unified School District has partnered with an environmental group to fight global warming by eliminating animal products.
A transformation from beef hot dogs and pepperoni pizza to vegan stir-fry tofu and vegan tostadas, the new lunch menu indeed boasts far less meat and more nutritious plant-based options.
Jennifer LeBarre, head of nutrition services for Oakland Unified School District, explains:
This is a landmark moment for school food. We were so excited to see how the data showed that we could reduce our carbon and water footprint by serving healthy, delicious food — like the vegetarian tostadas with fresh made in-house salsa, that kids absolutely love — all while saving money.
Oakland is one of many school districts ditching animal products in the lunchroom. From Los Angeles to Philadelphia, schools are implementing policies to reduce animal-based offerings in cafeterias and increase plant-based options.
In 2015, The MUSE School in Southern California, founded by film director James Cameron and his wife, became entirely vegan. Both Cameron and his wife are committed vegans. Jeff King, MUSE’s head of school, observes:
The way we eat is the easiest and most impactful way we can alter our carbon footprint as a school. The largest consumers of water are not people but cattle. To truly deliver our mission of sustainability, we had to find a sustainable way of eating.
Last year, The Wall Street Journal reported that The Scandinavian School of Jersey City, a preschool just across the Hudson River from Manhattan, went entirely vegan.
Whether it’s to save the planet, help children be healthier, or prevent animal suffering, these shifts toward plant-based school lunches are shaping the way future generations will eat.
Interested in reducing your environmental impact with a vegan diet? Check out ChooseVeg.com for more information.
Interested in reducing your environmental impact with a vegan diet? Check out ChooseVeg.com for more information.