Meat is coming off the menu every Monday at all city schools.
Mayor Bill de Blasio and city Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza, during a visit to P.S. 130 in Brooklyn, announced Monday the launch of systemwide “Meatless Mondays” for the 2019-20 school year.
“If you are thinking about our kids individually, we want them to be as healthy as they can be,” de Blasio said. “We want them to learn as well as they can learn, and meatless Mondays will help. It will create more balance in their lives.”
Students will have access to all-vegetarian breakfast and lunch options on Mondays starting in September. Officials said the practice is healthier for students and the environment.
More than a dozen schools in Brooklyn, including P.S. 130, have been piloting a "Meatless Monday" program during the past year. Carranza and de Blasio tested out a lunch of grilled cheese and barbecue beans with students before the announcement.
They also credited Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams for championing the program. Adams changed to a plant-based diet after being diagnosed with diabetes several years ago.
Students will get a chance to weigh in before the school food menu for next year is finalized.
“This is something we do that’s another contribution to addressing global warming and striking more of a balance in our whole society,” de Blasio said.
