NEW YORK — There’ll be no mystery meat (or any other meat) on Mondays at New York City public schools.
That’s because the city is expanding its “Meatless Mondays” program in the fall.
The initiative will provide the system’s million students with all-vegetarian breakfast and lunch menus every Monday. Advocates say it promotes healthy, environmentally friendly meal options.
Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYC Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza made the announcement Monday after having lunch with students at P.S 130 in Brooklyn.
“We want our kids to be as healthy as they could be and learn as well as they can and meatless Mondays gives them more balance in their lives,” de Blasio said.
Carranza said all 1,800 of NYC public schools will now have healthy, all vegetarian breakfast and lunch menus every Monday, for free.
“It will reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer,” Carranza said.
This comes as a new report reveals more than half of NYC public school students eat lunch before 11 a.m. every day, some as early as 8:50 a.m.
According to city officials, they’re working to have that changed by next year.
As for city students, they say they don’t mind eating their fruits and vegetables if it means protecting the earth and preserving their health.
“It’s awesome every student should have the opportunity to eat healthy and school great place to do that,” said Ciasia Joseph, an 8th grade student at the school.
Meatless Mondays goes into effect at all NYC public schools beginning this fall.
