Nearly Half Of UK Parents Support More Plant-Based Meals In Schools, Says Survey

A recent survey found that nearly half of UK parents support an increase in the availability of plant-based food in schools.

ProVeg UK carried out the survey with YouGov to find out how parents feel about food, education, and plant-based options. The results indicated that 46.7 percent of parents support increasing the number of plant-based meals served in schools, while 85 percent support more learning about healthy choices and nutrition.

The survey focused on parents of children aged three to 18 years old. Thirty-seven percent of respondents agreed that serving more plant-based foods would make meals healthier than they are currently. Agreement with this statement was notably even higher amongst parents of younger children.

ProVeg published the results of the survey just as its flagship program, School Plates, celebrated switching more than 50 million meals to plant-based or meat-free options in 12,000 schools since its launch. School Plates currently partners with more than 100 school catering partners to promote healthy, sustainable plant-based dinners.

“It’s great to see support for plant-based options on school menus is strong with parents,” said Sophia Millar, the co-director at ProVeg UK. “ProVeg has already swapped 50 million meals to date – a fantastic milestone – and we’ll continue to keep championing plant-rich recipes, and training school caterers to cook with planet-friendly and nutritious ingredients.”

More plant-based meals in schools

Photo shows a packed lunch for a school child featuring fruit, nuts, and a tomato and lettuce sandwich — Adobe Stock Emphasizing plant-based options in schools may benefit children’s nutrition and the environment

An increasing number of people are following plant-based and vegan diets in the UK, including kids. One study, published in 2021, found that around eight percent of children aged five to 16 already followed a vegan diet, while 15 percent would like to.

A policy briefing by health and environmental experts has estimated that promoting plant-based meals in schools and hospitals could save the NHS millions of pounds each year. The briefing also recommended scrapping the current School Food Standards rules, which obligate schools to serve meat at least three days per week.

ProVeg UK has said that it aims to support a transition away from reliance on meat, dairy, and other animal products to reduce the impact of the current food system, which is in line with the Committee on Climate Change’s recommendations. By reducing emphasis on animal products, schools are able to reduce their carbon footprints and promote health and nutrition for children and young people.