Four cities in Brazil have committed to adopting completely plant-based menus in their public schools.

The four northeastern cities in the state of Bahia have partnered with Humane Society International in Brazil and the Public Prosecutor Office to offer vegan meals in their public school cafeterias, with plans to transition to a completely plant-based menu by 2019.

The cities involved, Serrinha, Barroca, Teofilandia, and Biritinga, will be among the first school districts to adopt completely plant-based menus, and the new Escola Sustentável, or Sustainable School, policy will affect more than 23 million meals each year.

The March 19 launch of the project saw four days of plant-based culinary for cooks in the participating cities’ schools.

The program’s goals are to reduce the environmental footprint for the schools while improving student health and supporting local farmers who will work with the schools to provide produce for the plant-based meals.

“We applaud the cities of Serrinha, Barroca, Teofilandia, and Biritinga for becoming the world’s first school districts to commit to going 100 percent plant-based. It’s an honor to have worked with city authorities, nutritionists and school cooks on the adoption and implementation of this initiative, and we’re excited to continue working closely with them to ensure the success of this program,” said the Humane Society International in Brazil’s food policy manager, Sandra Lopes.

The program may help to curb Brazil’s current obesity epidemic, and improve health for children in the cities.

Make Plant-Based Lunches At Home!

Even if you’re not in Brazil, you can still make healthy, plant-based lunches for your kids or yourself at home!

Try out some of these recipes from the Food Monster App for some great lunch ideas.

Raw ‘Chicken’ Nuggets

These Raw ‘Chicken’ Nuggets are a perfect crunchy lunch bite. Chia, sunflower, and sesame seeds give these nuggets plenty of protein and nutrients!

Pumpkin Grilled Cheese

Looking for a quick lunch to make in the morning? This Pumpkin Grilled Cheese takes just 15 minutes to prepare, and it’s packed with nutritious pumpkin and cashews!

Mayim Bialik’s Reuben Sandwich

This Reuben Sandwich from Mayim Bialik is a fantastic lunch idea. Crispy vegan bacon and sauteed onions make this a tasty midday meal!

Looking for more plant-based food inspiration? Download the Food Monster App, which is available for both Android and iPhone, and can also be found on Instagram and Facebook. The app has more than 8,000 plant-based, allergy-friendly recipes, and subscribers gain access to ten new recipes per day. Check it out!

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