Congress to Consider a $12 Million Vegan Plan To Change School Lunches Nationwide

Last year, more than 2,200 American adults were asked whether they agreed that schools should be doing more to offer dairy-free milk and plant-based meals to kids. The response? Nearly 70 percent said yes—there should be better access to healthier, animal-free options in America’s schools. And the government, it seems, is listening.

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This January, President Donald Trump signed the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 into law. The legislation, which aims to reinstate whole milk in school cafeterias, includes a provision that would make it easier for children to access dairy-free milk, too.

In the same month, some politicians turned their attention to plant-based foods. Democratic Senator Adam Schiff of California introduced the Plant Powered School Meals Pilot Act on January 14. 

“Providing additional resources to school districts so that they can provide more plant-based food options brings us a step closer to ensuring that all students can have access to healthy, sustainable meals,” said Schiff. “As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I’m proud to introduce this legislation.”

The bill aims to support schools across the country in increasing their plant-based options through grants. These funds—totaling $12 million, including $2 million specifically for non-dairy milk—would help provide culinary training for foodservice staff; assist with procurement costs for ingredients from local, underserved producers, including women and veterans; and help engage students with nutrition education, among other initiatives.

Momentum grows for plant-forward school lunches

The new bill—co-sponsored by Democratic Senators Alex Padilla of California, Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, and Cory Booker of New Jersey—is a Senate companion to legislation HR 5867 first introduced by Democratic Representatives Nydia M. Velázquez of New York and Alma Adams of North Carolina in October 2025.

“As a former educator of 40 years, I know how important it is that schools can nourish the minds, bodies, and souls of their students,” Adams said at the time. 

“I am proud to introduce the Plant Powered School Meals Pilot Act to provide healthier school meal options to our children and ensure we are meeting each student’s dietary needs so they can be successful in the classroom and throughout their day,” she continued.

Research suggests that plant-based foods can be a healthy choice for children, as they are high in fiber, rich in important vitamins and minerals, and low in saturated fat.

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RELATED: US Schools Are One Step Closer to Offering Plant-Based Milk

“Serving plant-based meals, which are higher in fiber and lower in fat than typical school lunches, can help students fight obesity, type 2 diabetes, and even early signs of heart disease and set them up for a lifetime of good health,” Stephanie McBurnett, RDN, a nutrition educator for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, said in a statement last year after the organization conducted the aforementioned poll of 2,200 American adults. “It also introduces children to healthier meals that they might not be seeing at home.”

The Plant Powered School Meals Pilot Act has been read twice and referred to the US Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. If approved by the committee, it will move to the US Senate for debate and a vote.