Student nutrition directors, including Primer, attribute the ability for schools to explore new recipes to California’s universal free lunch program. Primer notes that when school lunches are provided at no cost, students are more inclined to try and enjoy them, stating, “Free food plus good food equals a participation meal increase every time.”
Nora Stewart, the author of a report from Friends of the Earth, observes that the rise in vegan lunch options in schools has been driven by a growing demand for reduced meat and dairy consumption from environmentally conscious students. Stewart comments on the increasing interest from both students and parents for more plant-based meals as a strategy to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Research by Aramark, a company offering food services to schools and universities, indicates that 79 percent of Generation Z members are willing to eat meatlessly at least once or twice a week. Revolution Foods, a food-service company, recently introduced an all-vegetarian menu in the San Francisco Unified School District, and credits students with leading the initiative to reduce meat in their cafeteria offerings. The menu features four vegan options, including an edamame teriyaki bowl, a bean burrito bowl, a taco bowl with a pea-based meat substitute, and marinara pasta.
Stewart also suggests that school nutrition directors are increasingly recognizing additional benefits of serving vegan meals. She points out that many school districts are incorporating more culturally diverse options with plant-based meals. Over the past five years, California school districts have added 41 new vegan dishes to their menus, including chana masala bowls, vegan tamales, and falafel wraps. Additionally, dairy-free meals provide advantages for lactose-intolerant students, who are more often students of color.
Despite these developments, vegan meals are not yet the norm in California’s school cafeterias, and in many areas, they remain uncommon. Among the 25 largest school districts in the state, only three elementary districts offer daily vegan options, a number unchanged since 2019. Friends of the Earth found that one-fourth of the reviewed California school districts do not offer any plant-based meal options, while in another fourth, the only vegan choice is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Stewart expressed surprise at these findings.
