school lunches

All New York City Public Schools Will Adopt Meatless Mondays

Photo: JGI/Tom Grill/Blend Images/Getty Images/Blend Images

New York City schools have a lot of pervasive issues, but, fortunately, food is not one of them. Since 2017, breakfast and lunch has been free at all public schools and this week, the mayor’s office announced that starting this fall, the city’s schools will adopt “Meatless Mondays.”

The initiative began as a pilot program in 15 schools in Brooklyn last spring, which was well-received. According to city officials, taking the program citywide will be cost-neutral and have no effect on the city’s bottom line.

According to the the mayor, the program is not only good for students’ health, but a boon to the environment. “Cutting back on meat a little will improve New Yorkers’ health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” reads a statement from de Blasio. “We’re expanding Meatless Mondays to all public schools to keep our lunch and planet green for generations to come.”

All New York City Public Schools Will Adopt Meatless Mondays