With a vegan mayor now in charge, the city’s schools are launching a new effort to get kids to go vegan at least one day a week. NBC New York’s Ida Siegal reports.
When New York City public school kids get on the lunch line Friday, they might be a little surprised by what’s in front of them: No pizza or mozzarella sticks, but rather options like chickpea salad or cauliflower tacos.
It’s a new program the city is calling Vegan Fridays.
"Doing it on Fridays gives them this opportunity to expand the menu, give kids more access to different types of food," said Rachel Sabella of No Kid Hungry New York.
Every Friday meat and dairy will be off the menu, with salads and veggies on. Milk will stay put, per federal law.
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Mayor Eric Adams — who is vegan himself — wants the kids to be exposed to healthier options. And many doctors are all for it.
"A plant based diet can be extremely healthy and we know that it can be associated with lower risks of things like chronic diseases, diabetes," said Pediatric Endocrinologist Emily Breidbart.
But what about the kids?
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The Department of Education did a student taste test and got the thumbs up, but inevitably there will be some tough customers. Parent David Jacobs said he doesn't envision his kids going for it.
"Not these two, no," he said, and said they wouldn't even touch something fairly commonplace, like hummus. "Not even close, no."
One student, 6-year-old Elizabeth Jacobs is of the same frame of mind. Her reaction to the thought of a taco filled with cauliflower: "Bad," she said emphatically, while shaking her head.
There should be no concerns about any picky kids going hungry on Fridays — there will always be peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on hand if they ask.
