We also thank Vince Caguin from Natomas Unified School District and Alex Emmott from San Francisco Unified School District for their helpful contributions. (17) Factory farms are also considered a potential breeding ground for the next viral global pandemic. Leading experts on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) make this clear: balanced diets, featuring plant- based foodsand animal-sourced food produced in resilient, sustainable and low-greenhouse gas emission systems, present major opportunities for adaptation and mitigation while generating significant co-benefits in terms of human health. (27) Making California school lunch more nourishing and balanced will require increased funding and sustained effortincluding education, cultural shifts, marketing and policy changes at the district level, in Sacramento, in Congress and at the USDA. With new plant-based options, students will be introduced to healthier, more sustainable foods at an earlier age. Learn more at. Transform school meals to nourish kids and create opportunities for farmers, Friends of the Earth Applauds Child Nutrition Measures to Increase Plant-Based School Meal and Beverage Options, Environmental justice, climate groups call on EPA to rein in the harms of factory farms, Controversial $200 million IFC loan approved for LDCs climate-destructive soy and corn operations in Brazils Cerrado. (3,4,5)How these dollars are spent and the quality of meals served have a profound and long-term impact on health and educational outcomes for students, as well as the health of the planet. 2022 San Francisco Unified School District, Find COVID-19 testing sites available for SFUSD families, Answer these questions with your child every day before going to school, View our vaccination event calendar and learn more about the vaccines, Learn what to do if there is a case of known COVID-19 exposure at a school, Frequently asked questions about SFUSD's COVID-19 response, Learn about Vision 2025, the districtwide plans supporting it, and our core values, Meet the commissioners and find meeting agendas and schedules, Meet our leadership team and employees, and recognize outstanding employees, Learn how budgets and the Local Control and Accountability Plan are created, Find out how to submit a records request or contact departments and schools, Learn when and how to apply for Infant, Toddler, and Prekindergarten programs, Learn when and how to apply for grades TK-13 and how our assignment system works, Get tips on how to search for schools that fit your child, Search for schools by programs, location, and grade level, Learn how our schools contribute to the community and how to find resources, See what we're teaching, how we assess student learning, and opportunities for learning outside the classroom, Learn about special education assessments, Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and more, Find out about English Learner programs, assessments and reclassification, We have language pathways for learning non-English languages and for English Learners, Learn more about student technology tools, school libraries, textbooks and classroom materials, Find out how we're redesigning learning in and out of the classroom, See how we are supporting Special Education students, English Learners, migrant students, foster youth, LGBTQ youth, and refugee and immigrant youth, Find out how to request a transcript, make up credits, request transportation, or learn about available counseling services, Find out how to get free meals and learn about health requirements for enrolling in school, Check out our family toolkit for school engagement, learn how to sign up for school and district notifications, request translation or interpretation, or report a concern, Learn about school safety and emergency preparation, Know your rights as an SFUSD family member or student and learn about SFUSD policies. (13,14)Our findings underscore the need for major structural and policy reforms in order to better incentivize school districts across the state and the nation to serve healthier, lower-carbon, more sustainably produced food. Reams of scientific studies show that industrial animal agriculture plays a major role in driving climate change and diet-related disease. Below, we outline key policies that will help foster healthier, climate-friendly school food. Californias new plant-based investment will provide students that align with ethical choices, sustainability standards, and dietary preferences. (20,21), only worsens our nations nutritional divide, putting millions of low-income kids and children of color at a nutritional, health equity, climate and cultural considerations for why schools, and dairy. are often accustomed to junk food, while also meeting nutrition requirements, toward serving healthier, plant-based and organic food. The advocacy and coalition building that helped generate resources for this program must intensify and continue. Some parents feel reluctant to introduce plant-based eating to their children believing that a vegetarian diet will not provide enough nutrients. Our menus include a healthy variety of fresh fruit, new and fresh vegetables, homemade entrees, and whole grains. endobj See your schools bell schedule for meal service times. To support the personal and intellectual success of every student, every day. (26). Special Diets for children with special needs and allergies. California was the first state in the country to adopt this new program. program.intake@usda.gov. Do you want to save time and money? Grade-level specific changes include: Long Beach Unified School District uses the required food based menu planning system to plan all meals. Contrary to the popularbeliefthatyou have to eatanimal protein to get enough into your diet, one of thebest ways to get protein is by eating vegetables. Food is at the heart of our public health and climate crises. Most children do not have access to vegan foods with low accessibility and food deserts around the United States. /*-->*/. The new plant-based nuggets will contain five more grams of fiber, 13 grams of protein per serving, and 40 percent less saturated fat than conventional chicken nuggets. Virtually every public health organization, including the American Medical Association, the American Cancer Society and the Harvard T.H. This May, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker technically beat California to the punch.

The scientific evidence is clear: eating less meat is vital to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and curbing the rates of chronic, costly, diet-related disease. Every day we offer a choice of full entrees, with whole fruit, vegetable sides, and optional milk. Download full report HERE Adding plant-based or plant-forward (combined meat or dairy with plant protein) entres to the menu can generate significant carbon savings and benefit student health, as well as accommodate the increasing number of students who are vegetarian or vegan for cultural, religious, health or ethical reasons. Plant-based entres are gaining popularity among students, but they still represent a small portion (4%) of all entres on, California school menus. Field trip lunches are those lunches that are picked up by a school or charter bus from the Production Center. Some schools may offer second helpings of fruits and vegetables. Both CAFOs and slaughterhouses have a disturbing record of inhumane practices, poor working conditions, and substantial health and environmental damage, including toxic air emissions and water pollution. Letter from School Food Directors to USDA asking for more support to serve Organic and Plant Based Foods. Every day we offer a nutritionally balanced breakfast, including fresh fruit and optional milk. For a deeper dive into the nutrition and processing considerations associated with plant-based foods, Eat REAL has developed a guidance document for school foodservice professionals. Californias historic investment in plant-based school meals will reduce the carbon footprint of public school food and expand access to healthy, culturally appropriate meals for millions of children, Deputy Director of Food and Agriculture at Friends of the Earth Kari Hamerschlag said in a statement. Finally, for her creativity and beautiful design work, we thank Keiko Okisada. The budget will allow schools to better cater to plant-based students as well as adapt to other dietary restrictions. Everyone who contemplates going plant-based has the same question: where do I get my protein? By providing industrially produced meat and dairy at a highly subsidized price, the USDA Foods Program incentivizes school districts to serve products that run counter to student health and environmental sustainability and equity goals. For more on the health and environmental benefits of organic food, see this Friends of Earth fact sheet: Why Serve Organic School Food. (, major structural and policy reforms in order to better incentivize school districts across the state and the nation to serve. The new school lunch provides 1/3 of the average daily calorie needs for kids by age. At select schools, meals will be served to youth regardless of enrollment in a summer program. <>>> Early Education Schools (on independent campuses), Ruth Asawa School of the Arts and The Academy at McAteer serve meals prepared at the McAteer Culinary Center. View SFUSD's athletics participation data for middle schools and high schools. Chan School of Public Health, urge lower red and processed meat consumption for better health outcomes. Two of our recent, Scaling Up Healthy, Climate-Friendly School Food, The vast majority of meat and dairy in school meals comes from Concentrated. For a deeper dive into the nutrition. CB~nwkL~fmnu*3fvoau%mOrh4MSy2w;a!GoWWwo50Ss{_}:Ou{{s_|aWn?=O\~dmmLOgS?x)jX>>o?y9i!w`~=C[EJ)k%'=xj7. Spread the word! We work directly with schools to set up Breakfast in the Classroom and other. (16) Intensive animal agriculture relies heavily on growth-promoting drugs and hormones, as well as routine antibiotics. Note: Long Beach, CA 90806, Department Phone 1 0 obj Participating public schools will receive reimbursement funding for their efforts in expanding the plant-based and sustainable food offerings. (20,21)Schools frequent offerings of cheeseburgers, pizza, chicken fingers and hot dogs does not help our children establish a lifetime of healthy eating; it only worsens our nations nutritional divide, putting millions of low-income kids and children of color at a nutritional disadvantage. -(k{r5s1b\WVCd*.TeN(cA;MQ?<=>)]DRK;v-3O q0_2e`,BH`b7F endobj School menus are organized by grade level and meal. Plant-based entres are gaining popularity among students, (25) but they still represent a small portion (4%) of all entres on California school menus. What we found: The vast majority (94%) of school lunch entres offered in California feature animal protein and 16% of entres contain processed meat, while just 4% of entres are plant-based. The letter must contain the complainants name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. (24) These foods made up 88% on USDA Foods sent for processing, for entre items such as hamburgers, pizza and chicken nuggets, foods that appear frequently on California school menus. (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or SFUSD's Student Family School Resource Linksupports students and families innavigating all of the SFUSD resources available to them. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Soon after California passed this investment, Impossible Foods announced that it would launch new selections developed for school lunch menus. Despite these challenges, school food directors have made remarkable progress toward serving healthier, plant-based and organic food. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. For more on the health and environmental benefits of organic food, see this Friends of, supplies the majority of animal products to California schools (see Figure 5). Media; Kristin Zellhart and Nora LaTorre of Eat REAL; Lena Brook from the Natural Resources Defense Council; Jessi Silverman and Meghan Maroney from the Center for Science in the Public Interest; Leah Carpenter and Jennie L. Hill, PhD of the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition; Lucy A. Hicks, a school nutrition and school finance consultant. Animal agriculture is also a major driver of climate change. Under the offer versus serve provision, schools must offer students a sufficient number and variety of food groups to meet established menu requirements. Tyson Foods, the biggest U.S. poultry, By providing industrially produced meat and dairy at a highly subsidized price, the USDA Foods Program incentivizes. More sustainable and, healthful plant-based sources of protein, such as lentils, tofu and tempeh, cannot compete against these subsidized animal. Friends of the Earth also partners with school districts and NGOs to advocate for state, the need to make school food healthier, climate-friendly and accessible to all families is more urgent than ever.

If you would like to purchase individual items without the complete meal (such as milk or whole fruit), we ask that Parents/Guardians first set up an account at SchoolCafe.com using these, During the school year, the following schools serve our. Overuse of antibiotics in animal agriculture has given rise to antibiotic-resistant pathogens, a major public health threat. (7) At the same time, eating less meatespecially processed meat and more plant-based foods has proven effective in strengthening immune systems and fighting obesity, heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Having difficulty opening or viewing the .PDF files? Find COVID-19 testing, vaccine, and daily health screening information. Please note that dates and times are subject to change based on program schedules. Planning a class pizza party? Find a list of locations serving summer meals to all youth below. 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Save time and money by having your children take advantage of free school meals! Friends of the Earth also partners with school districts and NGOs to advocate for state and federal policy change. Other studies have even claimed that a plant-forward diet earlier in life can lower health risks including heart disease more than 30 years later.

Californias recent approval of the $10 million Farm to School program provides a critical boost to help school districts use their massive purchasing power to source healthier and more sustainable plant and animal-based products. This years budget is a sizable step towards empowering schools to respond to their students needs.. CalMatters, Transform school meals to nourish kids and create opportunities for farmers (22) Section IV of the report outlines key health equity, climate and cultural considerations for why schools should serve more plant-forward meals and why USDA Foods should purchase fewer industrial animal products and more organic and pasture-based meat and dairy. The Exeter Unified School District (EUSD) is committed to ensuring equal, fair, and meaningful access to employment and education services. Thanks to CA Meals for All, all SFUSD schools will offer free breakfast. Public school systems seek to keep children safe, healthy, and informed, but most school systems fall short in teachingkids about implementing healthy and environmentally-friendly eating habits. This Summer, Student Nutrition Services is welcoming youth back into our cafeterias for school meals during the summer months. (8,9,10)The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend teenage boys eat less meat and that all children increase their consumption of vegetables and plant-based proteins. (6) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has found that we must dramatically reduce production and consumption of industrial animal products and change how we grow food to meet essential climate mitigation targets. Breakfast is typically served 20-30 minutes before the first morning bell. stream The offer versus serve method of service allows students to make their food selections from the variety of foods offered. This program will give students an opportunity to learn about healthier eating at a younger age. Having this optional program for schools, in addition to their existing meat and dairy menus, will allow for an inclusive selection for our students, Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian (D-Van Nuys) said in a statement. It would not have, been possible without the menu-level data gathering and analysis from Emma Finn, as well as the general support and, Maroney from the Center for Science in the Public Interest; Leah Carpenter and Jennie L. Hill, PhD of the Gretchen, Swanson Center for Nutrition; Lucy A. Hicks, a school nutrition and school finance consultant. More sustainable and healthful plant-based sources of protein, such as lentils, tofu and tempeh, cannot compete against these subsidized animal products and are not available through USDA Foods. To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained onlineat: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or bywriting a letter addressed to USDA. <>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> <> For more plant-based happenings, visit The Beet's News articles. We also thank Vince, Caguin from Natomas Unified School District and Alex Emmott from San Francisco Unified School District for their. This report was written by Julian Kraus-Polk, consultant to Friends of the Earth, and Kari Hamerschlag, Friends of the Earth, with significant support and input from the Climate-Friendly Food Team at Friends of the Earth. Some highly active students, like athletes, may need more calories. 2 0 obj Because all meals are free, SNS is moving away from accepting cash at many schools. We are enormously grateful to Assemblymembers Nazarian and Kalra, Senator Skinner, and the many other legislators who have championed a school meal program that will build a healthy and just food system for this and future generations.. Menu items containing pork are marked on the menu. Chlo Waterman, Christopher Cook and Lisa Archer also provided invaluable feedback and edits. School meals are offered at no cost to all students! Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian (D-Van Nuys) worked for years to sponsor this bill, a program (AB 588) that will help incentivize California public schools to improve their plant-based infrastructure. Nutrient information (carbohydrates, calories, sodium, fiber, protein, fat)for all menu items may be found in the Nutrient Information Table. g2*Qh!:J#Mp`x!v`OcM/+C8Y;Me 1nk9sYn5 V\QH0V!M!GJES! "p} iE05 BxD%rWBiKrq_ sH)AY 3u99RU?PGQj-N4iVe)GP%>j-WlJ%;;v>s;'m+O; %6KM.r-+pOsm&a"S(A3^hqui]k):w^`|%E+jQZs9eY>h1W*#Gj;&4?{0". As parents, you are encouraged to review menus with your students, in advance, to assist them in making choices from the menu items offered in the school cafeteria. (iii) These findings suggest a significant misalignment with recommendations from leading public health entities to eat more plant-based foods and less meat, especially processed meat. To create widespread purchasing shifts that enable foodservice directors to prioritize their students health and the environment, USDA Foods must be restructured to support more plant-based protein foods as well as organic and regenerative meat from smaller-scale regional, independent producers. A second carton of milk may also be an option. 2. fax: Intensive animal agriculture relies heavily on growth-promoting drugs and hormones, as well as routine antibiotics. (11) (See this partial list of public health organizations statements on the benefits of eating more plant-based foods and less meat.). By submitting the annual MFIF on SchoolCafe.com, you can help increase funding for classroom supplies, school staff salaries, and more in support of your students learning. The bill will not go into effect until August 1, 2023, but the program will provide vegan meals to 2 million students enrolled in the Illinois public school system. It would not have been possible without the menu-level data gathering and analysis from Emma Finn, as well as the general support and guidance from Elizabeth Vaughan. As economic insecurity and our climate crisis intensify, and more than half of Americans suffer from diet-related disease, the need to make school food healthier, climate-friendly and accessible to all families is more urgent than ever. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Giannini Middle, Aptos Middle, Balboa High, Burton High, Denman Middle, Everett Middle, Galileo High, Herbert Hoover Middle, James Lick Middle, June Jordan High, Lincoln High, Lowell High, Marina Middle, Mission High, ML King Middle, Presidio Middle, Roosevelt Middle, Thurgood Marshall High, Washington High, and Willie Brown Middle. %5pAJ O5}>r*|0+HVfYxTccceF~;|oNbg>3H-M( Student Nutrition Services (SNS) is committed to providing students the equitable support they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond, by keeping them nourished along the way. Our analysis shows that the largest meat and dairy conglomerates have monopolized the USDA Foods market, which supplies the majority of animal products to California schools (see Figure 5). Reinforce healthy eating by offering similar new foods at home. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Several companies have also started helping provide plant-based alternatives to schools nationwide. Even if you bring lunch from home, grab a free milk, fruit and vegetable to round out your plate! The meat- and dairy-heavy menus are also at odds with Californias goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating a more climate-resilient food supply. Nutrition Services offers a complete meal, including milk, fruit and vegetables from the daily menu to compliment our special Party Pepperoni or Cheese Pizza. Students, families, and school staff can email requests to sflink@sfusd.edu, call 415-340-1716(M-F, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m., closed from 12 to 1 p.m. every day), or complete an online request form. All meals are free for youth 18 & under and also available for any student enrolled in SFUSD, regardless of age. A copy of EUSD's Uniform Complaint policy and Nondiscrimination policy are available here and upon request. ]f'bDDs~v}p7n]${n]vNU@%ny. [CDATA[/* >