UK’s first vegan school is up and running: Here’s an insight into their plant based school kitchen

More people than ever are recognizing the importance of introducing plant-based food options to children so that they can make wise food choices growing up. February started with the good news of NYC Mayor introducing Vegan Fridays to all schools in the city. Across the pond, we now have even bigger news. The UK’s first plant-based school kitchen has started with help from a local catering company. The company is run by Anna and Gary Hardley, the duo who presently have a vegan restaurant in the area. Interestingly, their company has been serving delicious plant-based meals to students at a school in Sussex. At the moment their brilliant new kitchen has been functioning for well over 2 weeks.

They ensure that the piping hot meals are prepared on the school site every day for the pupils. For the uninitiated, the students are still allowed to bring lunch boxes to school that do contain meat. The school does not openly banish poultry or egg options in children’s lunches. As Our Lady of Sion School headteacher Steven Jeffery affirms that the school is not ‘anti-meat’. Take a look at the kind of meal options they do dish up.

THE SPECIAL MEALS AT OUR LADY OF SION SCHOOL 

You would be pleased to know that the delectable meals at Our Lady of Sion School in Worthing are by ‘Plant-Based School Kitchens’. They have designed a special diet to suit the nutritional needs of young children so that the food offers them intriguing benefits when it comes to their physical and mental health. The most exciting part is that the dishes at the school do not compromise on quality or flavor. They do exclude meat but do include thrilling dishes such as a Shepherd's Pie comprising of lentils as opposed to lamb. There are also meat-free meatballs on the menu for kids. As these are crafted from healthy plant-based produce like black bean and quinoa balls, they are a wonderful choice as are the tofu tacos.

THE DIVERSE MENU HAS CHARMED PUPILS 

The main idea was to devise meals that will appeal to the sensitive palate of children. And yet, Anna and Gary seem to have done so brilliantly. The duo has a varied weekly menu that isn’t repetitive. This is meant to display to the kids how going plant-based doesn’t mean you eat boring food. In fact, the school remains resolute that they are not anti-meat. That being said, the children who consumed the fresh new menu with wholesome plant-based food have declared rave reviews. One kid says, “I can’t tell the difference between vegan or meat anymore.”
Anna Hardley sees this as a dream come true, for she announced their plans for Plant-Based School Kitchens to finally present their meat-free meals in other educational institutes across the UK. 

ANNA HARDLEY ON HER VISION FOR PLANT-BASED KITCHENS AT SCHOOLS

Speaking of introducing children to the concept of veganism, Anna Hardley says, “I think they should try it. If you’re a foodie person, try something at first before you say you don’t like it, even if you have to close your eyes, it’s not as bad as you might think. It’s a very big deal, it’s massive for us but it’s also massive for us to be able to give a child, who might not get that nutrition to get that in school. They’re getting a really fresh, recipe, fresh food, cooked daily, and they’re getting all the nutrition that they basically need.”
"What we're saying is this is an opportunity to really explore what plant-based food is all about, how it can have a positive impact on the environment and how it can be used as part of education. And we are a school, so let's educate over lunch. But we're not anti-meat-eating either so the parents have bought into that and said, well, our children could eat meat for breakfast or in the evening meal and more and more parents are actually saying, can we have the recipes?" she adds.

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WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR PLANT-BASED SCHOOLS

With the advent of veganism as a prominent global trend, more and more people are choosing a vegan diet to make their food sourcing more sustainable. Hence, there is invariably a spike in approval ratings of plant-based produce. Since there are more and more vegan food products available in local stores as well as supermarkets; people have now started to look for plant-based menus at schools and colleges. Going vegan, after all, is the ideal way to lessen the quantity of meat consumed in the entire country.

Furthermore, in heartening news, Plant-Based School Kitchens are hoping to ultimately announce their meat-free prototypical format as a regular feature in primary educational institutes as well as secondary schools across the nation.

LIKE THIS? READ:  “I LOST 25 KGS AND REGAINED MY HEALTH ON A PLANT-BASED DIET’’

READ MORE: DID YOU KNOW LEONA LEWIS AND BRYAN ADAMS ARE VEGANS?