Why vegetarian meals and snacks?

All major mainstream health organizations agree that the diet should be primarily plant based (see Unified Dietary Guidelines later in this document.) The US Dietary Guidelines state “Get most of your calories from plant foods (grains, fruits, vegetables)” and to “Choose foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol” (animal products are the primary source of saturated fats and the only source of cholesterol.) There is no shortage of saturated fats or cholesterol in children’s diets, and as one health expert likes to put it “we are experts at eating from the top of the pyramid (dairy, meat, fats & sweets) and we need to eat more from the bottom” (fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.) Studies show that most children do not get the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables each day (see fact sheet later in this document.) Healthy, appealing vegetarian and vegan meals are perfect examples of the recommendations made by health organizations, including the USDA.

Why multi-cultural education that includes vegetarian and vegan eating options?

Dr. Antonia Demas has conducted research in over 200 school districts across our nation that proves that with proper education, children will select healthy options at a much higher rate than those who do not have such education. Her “Food is Elementary” primary school nutrition curriculum focuses on hands-on, multi-cultural education. It is also important to teach children about vegetarian and vegan eating options since so many children are choosing these diets. When planned appropriately, these diets reduce many types of chronic degenerative diseases, such as heart disease, certain types of cancer, Type II Diabetes and more. But many children become vegetarian and don’t know how to eat correctly. In addition, our culture emphasizes a meat-centered diet, and they should understand that a meat-centered diet is not the healthiest type of diet. 

This is supported by the American Dietetic Association 2003 Position Paper on Vegetarian Diets