San Diego Schools Go Meatless

San Diego Unified schools are taking strides toward a healthier student body.

NBC 7 reported that on Tuesday night, the board voted in favor of the decision to implement Meatless Mondays, an initiative that says cutting out meat once a week can reduce health risks and environmental damage.

The outcome received mostly positive feedback with members of the opposing side concerned about the way it will affect poorer students.

The menu will likely include vegetarian options such as vegetable lasagna and grilled vegetable Panninis and is intended to make changes in the lives of the 28% of San Diego children that are overweight.

Vegetarian lunch options have been catching on in school cafeterias nation-wide, with one New York school even offering meatless meals every day. Morgan Johnson, the Program Development & Research Director for the Meatless Monday Campaign says, "The District is in good company with 18 school districts and 47 independent schools around the US already participating in Meatless Monday".

Johnson is enthusiastic about the campaign, as young people are the cornerstone of their movement. "It's a key strategy for fostering healthy habits." "Hopefully they can carry these important lessons from their school days into adulthood."