Awards Recognize Veg Schools

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has awarded its 2011 Golden Carrot Awards to three school districts for their efforts to provide students with healthy, plant-based options. The winner of the $3,000 grand prize, the Los Angeles Unified School District, topped the list by continually improving its wholesome veg options in efforts to combat diabetes, obesity, and other diet-related chronic illnesses. LAUSD’s cafeterias feature healthy choices like avocado wraps, vegetable bean burgers, and non-dairy milk. South Carolina’s Greenville County Public Schools and Denver, Colorado’s SOAR schools were the $1,000-prize runners up, with the latter featuring an all-vegetarian menu free of meat, artificial ingredients, sugary snacks and drinks, and heavily processed foods. SOAR’s future plans include student gardens, nutrition education, and school lunch recipes from esteemed New York vegan restaurant Candle 79.