This report highlights Friends of the Earth’s menu analysis comparing 2019 and 2022 school menu entrées served at the 25 largest school districts across the state. We found that, despite a host of barriers during the coronavirus pandemic, there were remarkable improvements in the frequency, quality and variety of plant-based entrées featured. 

Download full report HERE
Download introduction/executive summary HERE 
Download key policy recommendations HERE
Read Civil Eats article HERE 

Friends of the Earth’s Climate-Friendly School Food Program helps school districts make the shift toward healthy, delicious, plant -forward menus. The program provides technical assistance and marketing materials, supports student and community engagement strategies, and links school districts with the resources they need in order to be successful. Friends of the Earth also partners with school districts and NGOs to advocate for state and federal policy change. For more information or to request support on implementing climate- friendly food strategies, email climatefriendlyfood@foe.org or visit our webpage at www.climatefriendlyschoolfood.org   

The post Plant-Based Trends in California’s School Lunches appeared first on Friends of the Earth.

“We applaud the strong commitment from school nutrition staff to meet growing student demand for climate-friendly, culturally diverse plant-based school meals,” said Nora Stewart, report co-author and Program Manager with Friends of the Earth. “We are hopeful that this trend will continue given California’s significant state policy support for improvements in the quality, sustainability, and access to plant-based school meals.”   

The new report is based on a detailed analysis comparing 2019 and 2022 school lunch entrées served at the 25 largest school districts across the state, collectively representing 1.83 million students and 121 million lunches served annually.  

Key Findings include:  

• 68% of districts are providing plant-based options daily or weekly, a 54% increase since 2019. 
• The number of plant-based entrees overall increased by 16%, yet they still account for only 8% of all entrées offered.  
• Districts are serving higher quality, whole plant-based entrees, such as teriyaki tofu, vegan tamales and chana masala, and vegetable lo-mien. 
• Processed meat entrees account for nearly one-fifth (18%) of all entrées offered, an increase of 11% since 2019. 
• More the half (57%) of all offerings on school menus contain cheese, and some of these are highly processed and include meat (e.g., pepperoni pizza). 

The report highlights school districts such as Santa Ana Unified in the greater Los Angeles region that are implementing innovative plant-based entrees that reflect students’ cultural, philosophical, religious, and health preferences, with support from non-profit organizations like Friends of the Earth. For example, Santa Ana USD recently launched a Plant-Based Wednesday Initiative with a focus on Latin American recipes such as horchata overnight oats, lentil picadillo, and tofu and potato empanadas. “Student response has been extremely positive,” shares Josh Goddard, Director of Nutrition Services at Santa Ana Unified School District. “Students who follow a plant-based diet have expressed feelings of inclusion and support, while students who follow a flexitarian diet have shared a growing appreciation for being introduced to more plant-centric options.” 

Despite major advancements, Friends of the Earth’s analysis reveals a lingering presence of unhealthy, greenhouse-gas intensive processed meat and outlines key policy recommendations to improve healthfulness and reduce the carbon footprint of school meals. The report finds top entrees served in schools still include unhealthy foods, including pepperoni pizza, deli meat sandwiches and cheeseburgers – entrees that contain ultra-processed, carbon-intensive meat and dairy that fail to align with the U.S. Dietary Guidelines and leading public health recommendations.  

This pattern is reflected in the USDA Foods program, which provides select commodities to school districts at a reduced (subsidized) cost. According to the report, plant-based proteins make up only 2.5% of USDA Foods’ school purchases statewide. Many plant-based protein offerings including edamame, tofu and tempeh are not available through the USDA Foods program. In contrast, beef, which is at least 20 times more carbon intensive than plant-based proteins, accounts for almost a quarter (23%) of USDA Foods spending. 

“The federal USDA Foods Program fails to align with the U.S Dietary Guidelines that encourage greater consumption of plant-based proteins and fiber,” said Kari Hamerschalg, Deputy Director of Food and Agriculture at Friends of the Earth, “It is time for USDA to provide more low-cost, culturally appropriate, fiber-rich, plant-based proteins that schools nutrition teams and students deserve.” 

The report highlights the growing prospects for greater progress on plant-based foods in light of new California state funding for a slate of initiatives including the School Food Best Practices Fund which provides $100 million for school district purchases of high-quality plant-based offerings, along with locally grown, minimally processed and sustainably grown food. However, the report points to needed policy change at the federal level, particularly including more plant-based proteins into the USDA Foods program. 

“Students and staff are excited when they find out the new menu additions are vegan,” said Ksenia Glenn, Nutrition Service Director of Upland Unified School District in San Bernardino County, CA who recently added plant-based offerings including a veggie fiesta bowl. “It sparks a conversation about the important role food choices can play in protecting the climate.”

Expert contact: Nora Stewart, nstewart@foe.org, 720-382-8708 

Communications contact: Shaye (Kerry) Skiff, kskiff@foe.org, 202-222-0723 

The post New Analysis: Plant-Based Meals on the Rise in California Schools appeared first on Friends of the Earth.

The National Strategy stopped short of proposing a specific mechanism to implement the Food Service Guidelines. It also did not include a plan for establishing a values-driven federal food purchasing strategy that addresses environmental sustainability, worker justice, racial equity, animal welfare, and local economies in the food supply chain.

Leading up to the Conference, many stakeholders called for an Executive Order to require all federal facilities to implement the Food Service Guidelines and establish values-driven food purchasing standards for federal agencies. Proponents of such an Executive Order include 49 non-governmental organizations, eight members of the House of Representatives, Senator Cory Booker, a former director of the CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, and the Task Force on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.

“The White House’s National Strategy falls short of the bold change that is needed to fight the intersecting health, climate and racial justice crises our country faces,” said Chloe Waterman, senior program manager at Friends of the Earth. “While updating and implementing the Federal Food Service Guidelines is a crucial first step, President Biden must swiftly issue an Executive Order to implement the Food Service Guidelines and a values-driven food purchasing strategy across the federal government. This would ensure that a larger portion of the billions of dollars of food purchased by the federal government is spent on climate-friendly, plant-centered meals that could improve the health of millions of Americans, fight climate change, and advance racial justice and equity.” 

“While this is an encouraging starting point, the Biden-Harris administration must do more to maximize the impact and durability of healthy, just, and sustainable food purchasing and service across the federal government,” said Jessi Silverman, senior policy associate at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. “The next step must be an Executive Order to establish presidential leadership and accountability for these efforts.” 

“The federal government has an important opportunity to support more nutritious diets and more sustainable food systems at the same time, by using their guidelines and their formidable purchasing power to support those production practices that are better for people and planet,” said Paula Daniels, co-founder of the Center for Good Food Purchasing.

“We are encouraged that the Biden-Harris administration is recognizing the importance of engaging the healthcare sector as key partners in addressing nutrition security and food systems transformation,” said Emma Sirois, National Director of Healthy Food in Health Care at Heath Care Without Harm. “The administration can further impact community health, wealth and resilience by leveraging the food purchasing power at federal hospitals to support local economies, producers of color, and sustainable agriculture practices through executive action on the Food Service Guidelines.” 

“If the guidelines had been mandated ten years ago when they were first released, we would already be reaping significant health and climate benefits today,” said Dr. William H. Dietz, chair of the Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at The George Washington University. “Federal agencies have had a decade to voluntarily adopt the CDC’s expert policies, and that grace period has run its course—it is time for the federal government to get its own house in order.” 

“We applaud the White House for this National Strategy which takes significant strides to advance the food system,” said Carrie Apfel, senior attorney at Earthjustice. “Given the tremendous impact the food sector has on our climate, we are hopeful the administration will take the additional step of issuing an executive order to use the government’s enormous purchasing power to advance its climate and equity goals through its food procurement. By purchasing climate-friendly foods, the federal government can help us slow climate change.” 

“Through our members’ work on campaigns like Good Food Communities, we’ve seen that values-based procurement creates opportunities to achieve racial equity, worker justice, environmental justice, and transparency in our food system. It also has significant local economic impacts. For example, contracts with values-aligned local farmers, especially farmers of color who have historically been squeezed out of market can help these farmers stay on their land, pay their workers well, and grow food in ways that are environmentally sustainable,” said Navina Khanna, Executive Director of the HEAL Food Alliance. “We strongly encourage the White House to invest in the local and regional infrastructure that’s essential for values-based procurement as part of the National Strategy, as well as the local leaders who are spearheading the process.” 

Contact: Shaye Skiff, kskiff@foe.org, 202-222-0723

The post White House takes first step toward transforming federal food procurement and service appeared first on Friends of the Earth.

• $100 million to support schools in procuring plant-based foods, as well as sustainably produced foods, California-grown foods, and foods to accommodate students with religious or other restricted diets.
• $600 million to upgrade school kitchen infrastructure and to train and compensate foodservice workers, including to prepare plant-based meals and increase scratch-cooking, an important facilitator for expanding healthy, plant-forward menus.
  

With this budget, California becomes the first state to provide public funding for plant-based school meals. Despite immense progress from many California school districts and growing demand for plant-based options among students and families, most California schools lack plant-based options. A 2021 Friends of the Earth analysis found that only 4% of entrée options available in California’s schools were plant-based, with half of those being nut butter and jelly.

This funding follows a years-long effort led by Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian (D-Van Nuys) – and supported by dozens of school districts, student and parent organizations, and environmental, health and animal welfare groups – to create a new program (AB 558) to provide state funding to reimburse K-12 public schools for the costs of expanding their plant-based food and beverage offerings.

“I am very excited to see plant-based school meals included in this year’s budget. Having this optional program for schools, in addition to their existing meat and dairy menus, will allow for an inclusive selection for our students,” said Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian. “Many school districts across our state have a sizable student population that requires or wants plant-based or restricted diet options and cannot afford the sometimes-higher prices. This year’s budget is a sizable step towards empowering schools to respond to their students’ needs.”

“California’s historic investment in plant-based school meals will reduce the carbon footprint of public school food and expand access to healthy, culturally appropriate meals for millions of children,” said Kari Hamerschlag, deputy director of food and agriculture at Friends of the Earth, a cosponsor of AB 558. “We are enormously grateful to Assemblymembers Nazarian and Kalra, Senator Skinner, and the many other legislators who have championed a school meal program that will build a healthy and just food system for this and future generations.”

Research shows that healthy, protein-rich plant-based foods like lentils and beans are 26 to 34 times less carbon-intensive than beef. If every California public school switched from a beef burger to a plant-based burger just once a month, it would save 300 million pounds of carbon dioxide annually.

“A huge thank you to Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian for his persistence in championing the budget proposal to include funding for plant-based school meals and milks. This has been a multiyear effort by the Assemblymember, the cosponsoring organizations, and the thousands of supporters throughout California who made their voices heard,” said Judie Mancuso, founder and president of Social Compassion in Legislation, a cosponsor of AB 558. “We are grateful to see both the legislature and the Governor recognize the cultural shift towards plant-based choices by supporting our children to eat healthier, more climate-friendly, and humane diets.”

“Bringing plant-based meals to schools will help students establish healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime,” said Neal Barnard, M.D., President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, also a cosponsor of AB 558. “Not only do these foods help students stay focused and energized in the classroom today, but they also reduce long-term risk for heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, obesity and other chronic diseases.”

Amy Halpern-Laff, policy director of Factory Farming Awareness Coalition, also a cosponsor, added, “We join our cosponsors in appreciation of Assemblymembers Nazarian and Kalra. We hope California’s model will inspire other states to provide plant-based school lunch options.”

Many school districts including Novato, Santa Ana, San Luis Coastal, Santa Barbara, Clovis, Elk Grove, Palo Alto, San Diego, Riverside, Vacaville, Tahoe Truckee, and Capistrano are reducing the carbon footprint of their food by increasing plant-based offerings. However, as documented in

Friends of the Earth’s Scaling Up Healthy, Climate-Friendly School Food report, financial and technical barriers remain for healthier, lower carbon footprint meal options. Federal subsidies often make animal-based foods more affordable than protein-rich plant-based foods and schools continue to struggle with labor and supply chain challenges. These investments will provide critical support for the many school districts across the state that are eager to expand their healthy and delicious plant-based meal offerings.

Contacts: Kerry Skiff, Friends of the Earth, kskiff@foe.org, 202-222-0723

Nick Sackett, Social Compassion in Legislation, nick@socialcompassion.org, 415-238-3179

Leslie Raabe, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, lraabe@pcrm.org, 443-534-5803

The post Groups Celebrate California’s Historic Investments in Plant-based School Food appeared first on Friends of the Earth.

Whether for health, environmental, philosophical, religious, or other reasons, students and their families are increasingly asking for more plant-based options at school. Most schools, however, are struggling to meet that demand due in part to policy barriers that favor animal-based foods. By providing schools with the resources they need to serve healthy, plant-based meal options, the Healthy Future Students and Earth Act will help to alleviate food insecurity, improve health and educational outcomes for our children, and fight climate change. 

“I’m proud to advocate for this legislation that will help to fight climate change, combat food insecurity, and promote health equity,” said Billie Eilish, Grammy Award winning artist, songwriter, and activist.  

“Providing nourishing, plant-based school meals is crucial to improving the health of our kids and protecting the planet that they will inherit from us,” said Maggie Baird, founder of Support and Feed, a plant-based food justice organization. “With climate catastrophe looming and racial health disparities worsening, Congress must prioritize passing the Healthy Future Students and Earth Act.”

Eilish and Baird are committed advocates for food justice and believe that everyone has a right to healthy, plant-based food. Eilish was the executive producer of the film, They Are Trying to Kill Us, about the intersections of food, disease, institutional racism, and poverty. Baird is the founder of Support and Feed, a non- profit that provides nourishing plant-based meals to people in need.

In addition to the bills’ sponsors, Eilish and Baird, the panel of speakers at the briefing included:

• Genesis Butler, Founder of Youth Climate Save
• Tracye McQuirter, Best-selling Author and Public Health Nutritionist
• Eloísa Trinidad, Chapter President of Hip Hop Is Green and Executive Director of Chilis on Wheels

The briefing also featured a new video sharing why students across the country want more plant-based food options at school. The video was created by the coalition supporting the legislation.

“Every child deserves healthy, nutritious, and sustainable meals that respects their choice,” said Representative Velázquez. “The Healthy Future Students and Earth Act will invest in the health of our children and help combat climate change by funding plant-based entrées in schools across the country. I’m proud to champion legislation that would deliver food justice for all and build a greener, healthier future for our kids.” 

“At the same time as we invest urgently in the transition to renewable energy, we must build sustainable food systems at every level of our society — and our public education system can lead the way,” said Representative Bowman. “I am proud to stand with Rep. Velázquez in introducing this bill, which would advance food justice in marginalized communities, support local farmers of color, and nourish all Americans while fighting the climate crisis.” 

“There is a huge rise in youth wanting to eat more plant-based options either for the animals, their health, the planet, or for all of these reasons,” said Genesis Butler, the 15-year-old founder of Youth Climate Save. “Many are unable to do so though because they do not have access to plant-based meals. Since youth spend much of their time at school, it only makes sense for schools to provide plant-based meals. I urge everyone to support the Healthy Future Students and Earth Act because it will benefit us all.” 

“Black women experience the highest rates of chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer, but most of these illnesses can be prevented and often reversed by eating healthy plant-based foods. Ensuring our students have access to healthy, plant-based meals can help instill in them a lifetime of healthy eating habits that will mitigate the devastating impact these pre-existing conditions can have,” said Tracye McQuirter, best-selling author of Ageless Vegan and By Any Greens Necessary and public health nutritionist.

“We must continue to right the historical wrongs of colonization which have led to great disparities in health, food security, and environmental justice, most of which is felt by Black, Indigenous, and students of the Global Majority,” said Eloísa Trinidad, New York City Chapter President for Hip Hop is Green and Executive Director of Chilis on Wheels. “Any student going hungry throughout their school day because the food offered is either not culturally appropriate or doesn’t meet their other needs is unacceptable. Providing proper sustenance through school food is one of the ways in which we can give every student an early chance to succeed. The Healthy Future Students and Earth Act starts to reimagine what empowering our students for a better future looks like.”

 “The Healthy Future Students and Earth Pilot Program Act presents a quadruple win for student choice, racial equity, student health, and the environment,” said Chloë Waterman, senior program manager at Friends of the Earth U.S, who moderated the briefing panel. “We are grateful to Billie Eilish and Maggie Baird for using their platform to advocate for an equitable, plant-forward school meal program and to Representatives Bowman and Velázquez for their leadership on this important issue.”

Communications contact: Kerry Skiff, kskiff@foe.org, 202-222-0723

The post Billie Eilish and Maggie Baird Take to Capitol Hill to Advocate for Plant-Based School Meals appeared first on Friends of the Earth.

To achieve that reduction target, the federal government will need to focus on reducing emissions associated with a major – yet often neglected – category of emissions: food. The food system accounts for approximately one-third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and is the largest source of U.S. methane emissions.  Yet until now, the federal government had no demand-side strategies in place for reducing these emissions.

“We applaud President Biden’s pledge to slash emissions associated with federal procurement. To be successful, the federal government will need to prioritize GHG reductions associated with the billions of dollars of federal government food purchases for children in schools, military service members, veterans, people incarcerated in federal prison, and seniors,” said Chloë Waterman, senior program manager at Friends of the Earth. “If implemented effectively across all sectors, this Executive Order will be the most meaningful policy we’ve seen from the Biden Administration thus far to address the food system’s massive climate impact. In the same way the federal government helped build the market for clean energy through its procurement policies, it can spur a climate-friendly food system by purchasing low-carbon foods and food grown with regenerative, organic practices.”

Friends of the Earth’s senior international forests program manager Jeff Conant added, “We’re hopeful that the administration’s efforts to curb climate impacts in procurement will include measures to address global deforestation and forest degradation, which is responsible for up to 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.”

The announcement also includes a plan to require major public suppliers to publicly disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and set science-based targets to reduce emissions. A survey conducted by Ceres earlier this year found that only six of 37 large U.S. food companies are disclosing their supply chain emissions.

“Requiring major federal food suppliers to disclose their supply chain greenhouse gas emissions and work towards a science-based reduction target would be a gamechanger,” added Waterman.

Communications contact: Haven Bourque, haven@havenbmedia.com, 415-505-3473 @HavenBourque
Expert contact: Chloe Waterman, cwaterman@foe.org, 812-345-458

The post Executive Order Could Tackle Climate Emissions from Federal Food Purchasing appeared first on Friends of the Earth.

Download the case study HERE
Download the Thai Basil Lentil Burger Recipe HERE.
Download the Thai Basil Lentil Burger Poster HERE
Download the Why are Lentils So Cool? Graphic HERE

This case study highlights San Luis Coastal Unified School District’s Thai Basil Lentil Burger, which has become one of the school’s most popular plant-forward entrees. The Case Study features recipe costs, information, and procurement details. This story showcases how this fresh, delicious and locally sourced plant-forward meal, combined with marketing and student engagement activities became a powerful motivational tool to increase student participation in school lunch!  

Friends of the Earth’s Climate-Friendly School Food Program helps school districts make the shift towards healthy, delicious, plant forward menus. The program provides technical assistance and marketing materials, supports student and community engagement strategies, and links school districts with the resources they need in order to be successful. Friends of the Earth also partners with school districts and NGOs to advocate for state and federal policy change. For more information about our program, you can click here. To request support on implementing climate-friendly food strategies, email climatefriendlyfood@foe.org.

Additional Resources:   

1. Organic School Food: A Roadmap for Success 
2. The State of School Lunch in California  
3. Scaling Up Healthy, Climate-Friendly School Food  
4. Organic, Plant-Forward, Scratch Cooked School Meals: A California Case Study 

Case Studies:  

1. Districts Pioneering Climate-Friendly School Food  
2. Organic School Food Case Studies 

Watch recordings from our Healthy, Climate-Friendly School Food Webinar Series!

1. Webinar 1: Organic, Plant-Forward, Scratch-Cooked School Meals: Is It Possible? 
2. Webinar 2: Organic School Food Purchasing: Stories from Three California School Districts 
3. Webinar 3: The Organic School Food Roadmap: Getting Started and Forging Partnerships 
4. Webinar 4: The State of School Menus in CA: Policy & Funding Options for Expanding Climate-Friendly Meals

infographics:

Carbon Footprint of the Top 10 Entrees on CA School Food Menus

Common Plant-Based Options on California School Menus

The post How a Rockstar Lentil Burger Inspired More Plant-Forward School Food appeared first on Friends of the Earth.

“Every child deserves healthy, nutritious, and sustainable meals that respects their choice,” said Representative Velázquez. “The Healthy Future Students and Earth Pilot Program Act will invest in the health of our children and help combat climate change by funding plant-based entrées in schools across the country. I’m proud to champion legislation that would deliver food justice for all and build a greener, healthier future for our kids.”

“At the same time as we invest urgently in the transition to renewable energy, we must build sustainable food systems at every level of our society — and our public education system can lead the way,” said Representative Bowman. “As usual, our young people understand this best: students and their families have been clamoring for healthy, plant-based, and culturally appropriate meal options at school. I am proud to stand with Rep. Velázquez in introducing this bill, which would advance food justice in marginalized communities, support local farmers of color, and nourish all Americans while fighting the climate crisis.”

A copy of the legislation can be found HERE.

Research has shown, eating plant-based foods can help people maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and protect against certain forms of cancer and other diseases. According to the CDC, approximately 39% of New York City public school children in kindergarten through eighth grade are overweight or obese, and obesity now affects1 in 5 children and adolescents in the United States.

This bill will not only improve the health of our children, but also help in the fight against climate change. Research has shown animal-based foods tend to be more carbon-intensive than plant-based foods. The bill would foster the development and accessibility to climate friendly food options in schools on our road to net-zero.

The funds that would be made available through the Healthy Future Students and Earth Pilot Program Act would provide for:

• Culinary training and technical assistance for school foodservice operators and staff
• Procurement costs of plant-based sources of protein and milk from socially disadvantaged producers, local producers, and women, veteran, and beginning farmers
• Marketing and student engagement, such as conducting taste tests and providing nutrition education
• Additional labor costs incurred in preparing and serving plant-based options
• Partnering with small to medium sized plant-based food businesses and producers for professional development and training

School districts who serve a high population of food insecure students will be prioritized under the new pilot program.

“As a physician and a parent of a 1st grader, I very much want to see more plant-based options offered in our public schools,” said Asha Subramanian, MD, MPH, a Board-certified family medicine and lifestyle medicine physician. “By increasing access to delicious, plant-based school meal options, the Healthy Future Students and Earth Act will help reduce the risk of health problems for children, including type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Plus, children from underserved communities often rely on school meals as a main source of nutrition. This Act will help level the playing field for those most at risk for poverty and hunger. It’s a win-win.”

“The Healthy Future Students and Earth Pilot Program Act presents a quadruple win for student choice, racial equity, student health, and the environment,” said Chloë Waterman, senior program manager at Friends of the Earth U.S. “We are grateful to Representatives Velázquez and Bowman for introducing legislation to enable school districts to provide plant-based options to benefit our children and the planet.”

“There is a huge rise in youth wanting to eat more plant-based options either for the animals, their health, the planet, or for all of these reasons,” said Genesis Butler, the 14-year-old founder of Youth Climate Save. “Many are unable to do so though because they do not have access to plant-based meals. Since youth spend much of their time at school, it only makes sense for schools to provide plant-based meals. I urge everyone to support the Healthy Future Students and Earth Act because it will benefit us all.”

“We need a more holistic approach to meeting the overall needs of school-age children,” said Syra, a resident of Brownsville, Brooklyn, NY, whose children attend 2nd and 8th grade at public schools in Manhattan. “We need more fruits and vegetables, more nutrient-dense foods, more whole, organic, plant-based foods. No one in my family is vegan, but we eat a lot of plant-based foods at home and would like to see similar foods in schools. It would make it a lot easier for us working parents, especially parents who have children that require extra care.”

“We must continue to right the historical wrongs of colonization which have led to great disparities in health, food security, and environmental justice, most of which is felt by Black, Indigenous, and students of the Global Majority,” said Eloísa Trinidad, New York City Chapter President for Hip Hop is Green and Executive Director of Chilis on Wheels. “Any student going hungry throughout their school day because the food offered is either not culturally appropriate or doesn’t meet their other needs is unacceptable. We must include students who have dietary restrictions whether due to a food allergy, philosophical, or cultural reason. No child should ever be hungry. Providing proper sustenance through school food is one of the ways in which we can give every student an early chance to succeed. The Healthy Future Students and Earth Act starts to reimagine what empowering our students for a better future looks like. Giving students the right to choose not only has the potential to nurture their bodies but also to strengthen their mental well-being.”

“We are pleased to support the Heathy Future Students and Earth Pilot Program Act, as the time has come to prioritize health in our children’s school meals, and allow for plant-based options,” said Nancy Kalish, Founder & CEO of Rule Breaker Snacks, a plant-based healthy snack manufacturer located in Representative Velázquez’s district. “We applaud Congresswoman Velázquez’s leadership to ensure children and schools have access to healthy food options, and the training and education to ensure that healthy food programs are a success.”

“We know that students need to be eating more fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, grains and pulses, which must lead us to serving more healthy, plant-based options in schools,” said Chef Ann Cooper, founder of the Chef Ann Foundation and former Food Services Director for Boulder Valley Unified School District. “Schools often face cost, technical, educational and marketing barriers to serving plant-based meal options since federal subsidies often make animal-based foods cheaper. The Healthy Future Students and Earth Act will start to level the playing field so that school districts can meet the growing need for healthy, delicious plant-based menu items.”

“Healthy, balanced, and culturally appropriate meals are no longer nice-to-haves on school menus, but are in fact critical to both the short- and long-term wellbeing of our children, families, and communities,” said Audrey Lawson-Sanchez, executive director of the public health organization Balanced and a former educator. “This Act to help schools meet the nutritional needs of their students while also promoting equity and inclusivity should be celebrated. As a mother and public health advocate, I am thrilled to see this legislation introduced and hope this is just the first of many policies of its kind.”

“Only through appropriate education will children learn to have more than a consumer relationship with the earth and all of its bountifulness. With legislation like the Healthy Future Students and Earth Pilot Program Act, we can increase our healthy, climate-friendly nutrition education efforts across the board” said Betti Wiggins, CPM, Officer at Houston Independent School District Office of Nutrition Services.

“We applaud Rep. Nydia Velázquez and Rep. Jamaal Bowman for the Healthy Future Students and Earth Pilot Program Act, especially at a time when schools are a nutritional lifeline for many households,” said Peter Lehner, Managing Attorney of the Sustainable Food & Farming Program at Earthjustice. “ This bill helps schools to provide more options, so that healthier, more climate-friendly meals are available and accessible to students who may choose them. Industrial meat production creates more greenhouse gas emissions than all the world’s transportation combined, and animal feeding facilities pollute our waters, cultivate the decline of rural communities, and exacerbate and perpetuate racial injustice. This bill helps reduce food-related climate change, promote health and nutrition in schools across the country, and strengthen communities – all by providing more choice.”

Communications contact: Kerry Skiff, (202) 222-0723, kskiff@foe.org

The post Velazquez & Bowman want Plant-Based Entrées in Schools appeared first on Friends of the Earth.

Once the measure is funded, D.C. will become the first jurisdiction in the country to establish a target for reducing GHG emissions associated with food purchases for public facilities including schools, public healthcare facilities, and correctional facilities. The bill also makes improvements to other environmentally preferable purchasing practices across D.C. government.  

“Our purchasing power is perhaps one of the best underutilized tools we have in the fight against climate change,” said Councilmember Mary Cheh (Ward 3), who introduced the legislation. “And the passage of the Green Food Purchasing Act ensures that every step of the food procurement process within our management—every dollar the District government spends—will be working toward our climate goals and measurable reductions in food-related greenhouse gas emissions.” 

“Passing the Green Food Purchasing Act affirms the District of Columbia as a national leader in addressing the climate crisis,” said Chloë Waterman, Climate-Friendly Food Program Manager at Friends of the Earth. “Just as local governments have driven powerful market change by enacting green procurement policies for electric vehicles and clean energy, they can have a huge impact on the food system by enacting healthy and climate-friendly food procurement policies. We applaud Councilmember Cheh for spearheading this crucial climate legislation.” 

Research has shown that diets high in climate-friendly foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and legumes are also healthy diets. Therefore, this legislation has the potential to improve the nutritional profile of food served in D.C.’s public institutions. The bill could also mitigate racial health disparities given that D.C.’s public institutions disproportionately serve residents of color.  

“At a time where we are facing a global climate crisis on top of existing health disparities in a pandemic, this timely legislation gives us an opportunity to act on behalf of people and the planet through the power of purchasing,” says Tambra Raye Stevenson, MPH, Founder/CEO, Women Advancing Nutrition Dietetics and Agriculture. “Also, the Green Food Purchasing Act is in alignment with the double health and climate pyramid, which encourages the adoption of climate-conscious foodservice that is both healthy for District residents and environmentally friendly.” 

Globally, the food and agriculture sector accounts for between 21 and 37% of total anthropogenic GHG emissions, according to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC’s research has shown that unless we reduce food consumption-based emissions, emissions from food and agriculture alone will exceed the Paris agreement target.  

“We know that if we don’t drastically mitigate climate change over the next decade, people of color will suffer first and the worst – and this includes people of color in D.C.,” said Lea Howe, director of education at D.C. Greens. “The Green Food Purchasing Act is an important step in both recognizing that the food system is a driver of the climate crisis and that shifting to more climate-friendly menus plays a role in advancing health equity in the District.”   

Communications contact: Kaela Bamberger, kbamberger@foe.org, 202-222-0703

The post D.C. Becomes First in the Nation to Set GHG Reduction Target for Food Purchases appeared first on Friends of the Earth.