Yesterday the New York Coalition   for Healthy School Food with partners PS244 and the NYC Department of Education Office of SchoolFood  Made History! Together with the NYC Chancellor of Schools, Dennis Walcott, we announced The First VEGETARIAN   Public school in the country!    Chancellor Walcott is surrounded by the paparazzi   The amazing SchoolFood team - couldn't do it without them!  Press Conference speakers (L to R): PS244 Principal Bob Groff; NYC School Chancellor Dennis Walcott: NYCHSF Executive Director, Amie Hamlin; NYC DOE CEO of School Support Services, Eric Goldstein. Chancellor Walcott is asking how many students like the vegetarian lunches.  NYC has salad bars in almost every school now. Cancellor Walcott fills his plate with salad, along with the students.    Chancellor Walcott enjoys lunch with the students as PS244 Principal Bob Groff looks on.  Excitement was in the air yesterday at PS244. The New York Coalition for Healthy School Food and the NYC Office of SchoolFood have worked hard to make this day come true - the announcement of the first public vegetarian school in the country.  The school lunch has been vegetarian since the start of the school year and the school became completely vegetarian when we switched to a vegetarian breakfast menu in January. Chancellor Walcott spoke with many of the students. He asked how this has changed their lives. Several said that they have switched from white to brown rice. Another said he used to eat ice cream every day but now he only eats it occasionally. Another said she introduced her family to black beans as a result of the school lunches, and she eats many more vegetables now.  Read the NYC DOE Press Release here.  Watch coverage on Channel 7 here. Read the NY Daily News article here. Other schools have expressed interest in adopting a vegetarian menu, or at least adding plant-based entree options to their menus. The meals meet all USDA requirements for protein and calories (protein is not considered a nutrient of concern, and requirements are easily met with plant-based proteins.) Plant-based proteins are highlighted in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines and the new MyPlate Guide and are considered to be the healthiest proteins since they contain no cholesterol, are low in total and saturated fat, and are high in fiber. Check out our quantity recipes here. Check out our Wellness Wakeup Call program here. Check out our middle school cooking unit here. Questions?   Email us or call   607-272-1154 Students made posters of the recipes   Display of Posters by our Educational Partner, Veggiecation

Email Sponsored By:       The "Constant Contact Cares4Kids" program supports educational and social non-profit organizations that help children. Learn more about the Cares4Kids program. Forward email by [log in to unmask] NY Coalition for Healthy School Food | POB 737 | Mamaroneck | NY | 10543

To unsubscribe from the NFS-L list, click the following link:
&*TICKET_URL(NFS-L,SIGNOFF);