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Plant-based ‘meat’ may be headed to school lunchrooms

    Move over deep-fried chicken nuggets and mozzarella sticks, cheeseburgers, and pizza and make room for plant-based meat alternatives. Gov. David Paterson’s Healthy Schools Act announced on April 3 will require New York state schools to offer, as a healthy option, plant-based meat alternatives in addition to the meat and cheese entrees that currently dominate school menus.
    The bill is in response to the burgeoning issue of childhood obesity and poor health. According to the bill, “schools can influence children’s nutrition and food choices by serving as model environments that support academic performance and healthful behaviors.”
    The legislation will also address many other aspects of school food, not just meals, including nutrition guidelines and wellness policies.
    The New York Coalition for Healthy School Food says children enjoyed plant-based entrees at their pilot programs at two New York schools. “At the Severn Elementary School [in Corning] we are already implementing what the legislation is suggesting; we offer a delicious, healthy, unprocessed, whole food,” school food service director Chris Wallace said. The healthy menu from Severn Elementary School can be viewed at: http://www.corningareaschools.com/lunch/severn.