Meatless Monday comes to San Diego Unified School District

Sept. 12—Camila Guzman reached for her favorite meal Monday at the Sherman Academy cafeteria: a burger.

The 7-year-old studied the oddly speckled patty for a second, then added a generous squirt of ketchup and took a bite.

“This one looks different because it has vegetables inside,” Camila said. “It still tastes like McDonald’s.”

Cafeterias at elementary schools across the San Diego Unified district went vegetarian Monday, eliminating cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets and other popular meaty meals from their menus. They instead offered garden veggie burgers, cheese pizza, salad bars and sunflower-seed butter and jelly sandwiches. The meatless menu will be served every Monday.