Climate-Friendly School Food

School food is a daily source of nourishment for more than 32 million children nationwide, serving over 7 billion meals annually.

As one of the nation’s largest public feeding programs, U.S. K-12 public schools have a profound impact and opportunity to improve the health of students and the environment for generations to come. Despite growing student demand, plant-based options account for a tiny portion of school meals. Serving more plant-based food and reducing institutional purchasing of factory farmed meat and dairy in schools is a high-impact strategy to mitigate climate change, improve student health and racial equity, and strengthen local food systems.  

Friends of the Earth’s Climate-Friendly School Food Program helps school districts make the shift towards healthy, delicious, organic, plant forward menus. We provide organic procurement and plant-based technical assistance and marketing materials, support student and community engagement strategies, and link school districts with the resources they need in order to be successful. We also partner with school districts and NGOs to advocate for state and federal policy change. For more information or to request support, please email [email protected].

Learn more about Friends of the Earth’s Climate-Friendly School Food Program

Projects

K-12 School Nutrition Services Resources

Student Resources

Educator Resources

Media

News Releases

New Report Finds Industrially Produced Meat and Cheese Dominate America’s School Lunch Entrées, Raising Concerns for Children’s Health

A new report by Friends of the Earth and Chef Ann Foundation finds school lunch entrées are dominated by processed, meat- and cheese-laden foods sourced from large-scale industrial supply chains.

Victory Stories

Investing Millions in Healthy, Climate-friendly School Foods in California

This is a huge win that will greatly improve California’s school food system and help ensure all students have access to nutritious meals at school.

News Releases

California Budget Makes Major Investment in Healthy School Meals

Budget protects School Meals for All and invests in school kitchens and workforce, farm-to-school programs, and healthy, sustainable food procurement—including plant-based food and beverage option…

Victory Stories

Expanding Access to Non-Dairy Milk in Schools 

Plant-based options, including non-dairy milk, are increasingly popular with students, are environmentally friendly, and improve student health.

News Releases

Congress Advances Provisions Expanding Nondairy Milk Access in Schools 

This legislation makes it so much easier for parents like me to ensure that their child with lactose intolerance gets a healthy plant-based milk in school.

News Releases

U.S. Senate Advances Provisions Expanding Non-dairy Milk Access in Schools 

Friends of the Earth U.S., The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and other members of the Plant Powered School Meals Coalition applaud the Senate for unanimously advancing provisions that…

Media Archive

Our Work

May contain a person serving a catered meal of mashed potatoes, a fried cutlet and salad.

Inspiring Stories from K-12 School Districts

Resources

Beyond the Nugget

Read the executive summary: The key findings and recommendations at a glance. Read the full report: Our analysis of school lunch menus, health risks, and the policies shaping what schools serve. Explo…

Building a Better Tray

These school nutrition teams are changing what they purchase, how they cook, and what they serve to students, proving that healthier, higher-quality proteins can work in school cafeterias.

From Zero to $5.5 Million

In just five years, California schools have gone from having no access to organic produce through the Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (DoD Fresh) to purchasing over $5.5 millio…

The Pulse Playbook: Best Practices for Utilizing Beans, Peas & Lentils in School Meals

This toolkit aims to help K-12 school nutrition directors serve nutritious, affordable, and climate-friendly beans, peas, and lentils in school meals.

Climate-Friendly Plant-Based Recipes for Schools

Our Climate-Friendly Plant-Based Recipes for Schools resource is a vibrant collection of student-approved recipes from over 25 California K–12 school districts, designed to help school nutrition tea…

A Guide for Food and Nutrition Services to Navigate Requests for Cow’s Milk Substitutes

School food operators may receive two types of requests for a cow’s milk substitute: Disability based requests must be accommodated by operators.

More Resources

Climate-Friendly School Food