Surrey County Council councillors have proposed school pupils partake in ‘Meat-Free Mondays’ as part of a potential rule introducing a fully plant-based menu once a week.
The Council met on Monday 29th April, discussing the potential introduction of ‘Meat-Free Mondays’ in schools. According to the Council’s service recommendation, the change would work to “empower families and young people to make an informed choice about eating a balanced diet.”
Guidelines were recommended for food to be sustainable and locally sourced, based on the Government Buying Standard for food and catering services.
A spokesperson for the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS) said: “Serving an entirely plant-based menu on a Monday would see the removal of milk and dairy products, which in turn could impact Surrey’s business rate paying farmers through disruption to the dairy cow trade.”
The Council will produce a food strategy with more detail, said Councillor Marisa Heath, but would focus on “sustainable and nutritious food foremost” rather than plant-based diets.
