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One On One With: High school signs Food Forward pledge to increase meatless options

Michael Manning, director of food & nutrition for Richfield Public Schools, talks about Richfield High School signing the Food Forward pledge commiting it to increase the number of plant-based meal options it serves.

Mike Buzalka, Executive Features Editor

October 18, 2021

 

Increasing the number of meatless menu options has been a priority in a variety of onsite dining venues, from colleges, where vegetarian and vegan students often form a powerful interest group, to healthcare facilities where the reported health benefits of eating less animal protein are putting more focus on plant-based dining. Meanwhile, K-12 schools already have a mandate to serve a certain amount of fruits, vegetables and whole grains while limiting the meat portion if they participate in federal school meal reimbursement programs like the National School Lunch Program and National School Breakfast Program.

That being said, few if any schools have made as binding a commitment to plant-based dining as Richfield High School in the Richfield Public Schools ISD in Minnesota, as Richfield High recently became the first high school in the country to sign the Forward Food pledge that commits it to increasing its plant-based options by specific amounts by certain target dates.

In this FM One on One With podcast segment, Michael Manning, director of food & nutrition for Richfield Public Schools, talks about this commitment, why it was made and how he plans to implement it.

About the Author

Mike Buzalka

Executive Features Editor, Food Management

Mike Buzalka is executive features editor for Food Management and contributing editor to Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News. On Food Management, Mike has lead responsibility for compiling the annual Top 50 Contract Management Companies as well as the K-12, College, Hospital and Senior Dining Power Players listings. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English Literature from John Carroll University. Before joining Food Management in 1998, he served as for eight years as assistant editor and then editor of Foodservice Distributor magazine. Mike’s personal interests range from local sports such as the Cleveland Indians and Browns to classic and modern literature, history and politics.

Mike Buzalka’s areas of expertise include operations, innovation and technology topics in onsite foodservice industry markets like K-12 Schools, Higher Education, Healthcare and Business & Industry.

Mike Buzalka’s experience:

Executive Features Editor, Food Management magazine (2010-present)

Contributing Editor, Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News (2016-present)

Associate Editor, Food Management magazine (1998-2010)

Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1997-1998)

Assistant Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1989-1997)

 

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