Increasing the number of meatless menu options has been a priority in a variety of onsite dining venues, from colleges, where vegetarian and vegan students often form a powerful interest group, to healthcare facilities where the reported health benefits of eating less animal protein are putting more focus on plant-based dining. Meanwhile, K-12 schools already have a mandate to serve a certain amount of fruits, vegetables and whole grains while limiting the meat portion if they participate in federal school meal reimbursement programs like the National School Lunch Program and National School Breakfast Program.
That being said, few if any schools have made as binding a commitment to plant-based dining as Richfield High School in the Richfield Public Schools ISD in Minnesota, as Richfield High recently became the first high school in the country to sign the Forward Food pledge that commits it to increasing its plant-based options by specific amounts by certain target dates.
In this FM One on One With podcast segment, Michael Manning, director of food & nutrition for Richfield Public Schools, talks about this commitment, why it was made and how he plans to implement it.
