Daycare centers in Copenhagen can now serve vegan food.
In the past, daycares haven’t served vegan meals on health grounds. Vegan lunchboxes have also been discouraged, but guidance has now been revised.
Per the Copenhagen Post, in 2015, the National Food Authority claimed that vegan diets could not meet the “nutritional needs” of children. Now, the Ministry of Food and Environment says that daycare centers shouldn’t discourage children from eating balanced plant-based meals.
“If the staff at daycare centers can professionally prepare a well-planned vegan menu, and if the parents know that they are responsible for providing the children with the necessary supplements, we can’t discourage kids from getting vegan diets in daycare,” said Charlotte Kølin—the section manager for sustainable food at the Ministry of Food and Environment—in a statement.
Schools Dishing Up Vegan Food
In the UK, schools in Leeds are actively encouraging children to eat more vegan food. More than 180 primary schools in the city will have two entirely meat-free days: one day the canteen will serve vegan meals and one day it will serve vegetarian meals. For those who want more plant-based foods throughout the week, more vegan options will be available on those days too.
According to Leeds City Council, the move will help to reduce the city’s carbon footprint. It will also help students to choose healthier foods. More fruit and vegetable-based snacks will be available, including raw vegetable sticks.
“Leeds pupils are taste-testing new environmentally-friendly school dinner menus,” the council said in a report. “The aim is to reduce the city’s carbon footprint. And ensure that pupils enjoy even healthier meals with extra vegetable content.”
In West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, schools now offer vegan food thanks to one mother’s campaign. The Vegan Society helped Alexis Kasravi write a letter to the council, and now, all schools and nurseries in the area offer vegan options.
“It’s important for public institutions like schools to cater for vegan pupils,” said Kasravi in a statement. “Plant-based food can be enjoyed by most people, so it promotes inclusivity, sustainability, and good nutrition.”
