DC Healthy Schools

On Wednesday the Washington, DC, City Council voted unanimously in favor of the DC Healthy School Meals Act, which establishes local nutritional standards for school meals and introduces more plant-based options. In addition to making vegetarian meals more available on a weekly basis, the legislation also calls for a greater selection of dairy-free beverages. Supplementary funding will be provided to schools to purchase fruits and vegetables to ease the transition and ensure the foods are affordable for all communities. Previously, students who opted out of eating meat- and dairy-laden lunches were required to have a doctor’s note before having another meal made available.