Plant-based foods are growing in popularity, especially among young people. And it’s not just a hollow passing trend. Plant-based foods have potent benefits for people’s health–– like reducing the rate of chronic illnesses, including diabetes, heart disease and some cancers–– and they can also cut a person’s carbon “foodprint” in half.
Now more than ever, there’s an opportunity for folks like you to join a growing movement to offer plant-forward, climate-friendly food service to students. You’d be in great company, too! For example, Oakland Unified School District saved $42,000 by purchasing 30% less meat and dairy while upping their spend on produce and legumes by 10% over two years. The district also enjoyed spending 1% less per meal, reducing their carbon footprint by 14% and decreasing water usage by nearly 6%.
As more people embrace plant-based options, however, it may be challenging for food service professionals to keep pace with these expanding tastes without the proper resources.
That’s why OMD created this free handbook to support the growing shift toward plant-based menu options as part of our school lunch campaign. Here, you’ll find:
- Frequently asked questions, answered
- How to make the case for plant-based eating
- Over a week’s worth of NSLP-eligible and reimbursable recipes
- Free marketing materials geared towards students and parents to set your new menu additions up for success