Schools should have one meat-free day a week, says charity

Soil Association calls for pupils in England to get 'healthier and more climate-friendly' meals

All state schools in England should offer pupils a compulsory plant-based menu one day a week, under new recommendations to the government that aim to make school meals more environmentally friendly and reflect changing dietary advice.

Given wide acceptance that diets need to change to address the climate crisis - including by eating less meat and more beans and pulses - the Soil Association is urging the Department for Education to replace a non-mandatory recommendation for a weekly meat-free day with a statutory menu once a week offering only plant-based proteins and foods.