Plant-Powered Fridays 

We are committed to the health and well-being of every child, and proudly provide free, nutritious meals to all New York City public school students every day. Every Friday, school cafeterias feature a nutritious plant-based dish as the primary menu item. Many of these meals are made from scratch with fresh ingredients. 

Plant-based meals are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein. Plant-Powered Friday also exposes students to meals prepared in different, flavorful ways, encouraging students to make healthy food choices for a lifetime. Students have the opportunity to taste the plant-powered menu items before they are officially added to the menu and nothing is served without students' stamp of approval. 

Want to try a plant-powered meal at home? Check out the recipes here. 

Nutrition Education 

In 2023, we launched a Food Education Road Map in support of our work with the Food Standards and our mission to promote a culture of healthy eating. We envision a future in which all New York City students develop a culture of healthy eating, wellness, and lifelong habits through access to healthy food, food education, experiential learning, and community involvement. A comprehensive approach to food education teaches students about the food system itself--the production, processing, distribution, retail, consumption, and post-consumption of food--and how each component interacts with the environment, economy, community, and more. Students in turn learn to make food decisions that build a more equitable, sustainable, and resilient New York City.