Students across Brazil are to receive 10 million plant-based school meals through the Conscious Food Brazil program
The municipality of Salvador has launched its Conscious Food Brazil program which will see more than 10 million plant-based meals being served in schools.
Brazil’s latest move is a part of the Sustainable Salvador program, which is a cooperation between Humane Society International and Mercy for Animals.
170,000 pupils will enjoy healthier options on the school menu, including fruits and veg, legumes, and grains.
The exciting plant-based meals are developed through the National School Feeding Program and focus on the preferences of the students and the food culture of the region.
Moreover, participating institutions will be offered a dedicated team of nutritionists, chefs, and training in nutritional and environmental education.
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Brazil plant-based school meals
The organisations involved launched the program following the rising demand for healthier options in public schools.
In a statement, Alice Martins, manager of Food Policies at Conscious Food Brazil, shared: “By making this inclusion on the menu of institutions that serve meals on a large scale, we were able to significantly contribute to a systemic change in food culture.
Additionally, Municipal Secretary of Education, Marcelo Oliveira, added: “The idea is to instil and create long-term changes in students’ eating habits.
Oliveira highlighted children from the poorest areas attending public schools are not intaking the recommended servings of fruit and vegetables. Furthermore, these pupils are also relying heavily on animal products for their protein sources.
The rise of vegan meals in schools
Across the world, countries are changing their school menus for the better.
The inclusion of healthy plant-based options at school is a vital way of boosting energy and ensuring every child has access to nutritious food.
In New York, Mayor Eric Adams has launched ‘Vegan Fridays’ in 1,700 schools in response to the rising healthcare crisis.
Meanwhile, several schools across the UK have introduced better plant-based options. In 2020, Leeds City Council announced 180 schools will be serving plant-based options across the week, with 2 days of the week being exclusively vegan and vegetarian.
Not only does having healthy plant-based meals in school improve the pupil’s nutrition, but it also teaches them about sustainability and the environment.
Do vegan pupils perform better in school? Here’s what we think…
Source: HSI
Feature image source: SDI Productions via Getty Images
