Paul McCartney singing about 'Meat free Monday'
England's Education Secretary, Michael Gove, has launched a new set of school food standards, with accompanying guidance, that recommended that all school children have a weekly meat-free day.
In the School Food Standards A practical guide for schools their cooks and caterers, one of the ‘Top Tips’ is: “Encourage all children to have a meat-free day each week, using alternatives such as pulses, soya mince, tofu and Quorn.”
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Also included in the new standards, which will be mandatory in all English maintained schools, new academies and free schools from January, are requirements for one or more portions of vegetables or salad as an accompaniment every day, at least three different fruits and three different vegetables each week and an emphasis on wholegrain foods in place of refined carbohydrates.
Will New York City be next? NY Council Member Helen Rosenthal has
introduced a resolution calling for the City of New York to declare Mondays 'Meatless Mondays"
“I’m so excited to be introducing a resolution today calling on the City of New York to declare Mondays ‘Meatless Mondays,’ said Council Member Rosenthal. “Meatless Monday is a national and international campaign that encourages people to enjoy meat-free meals on Mondays to improve their personal health and the health of the planet.” She expressed her hope that the resolution would quickly pass through the City Council and arrive on the mayor’s desk surrounded by a variety of healthy veggie treats.
Approximately 40 schools in New York City already participate in Meatless Monday, including public, private and charter schools at all grade levels. New York City colleges and universities have also participated in Meatless Monday, including Barnard College, Brooklyn Law School, Columbia University, Fordham University, LaGuardia Community College and Manhattan College.
People are waking up to the understanding that it's our consumption that has created the crisis of climate change. Taking it to the micro level; it's our over consumption of all kinds of stuff that is taking us over the cliff. Of course, our consumption is being enabled by our economic system which relies on growth, growth and more growth, all reliant on fossil fuels which are choking and burning our planet.
Of course, we have to change the system, no small feat, but when we understand how we all fit into the system it becomes doable. It's difficult when our whole society is constantly bombarding us with the message to consume, consume, consume. When we hear that message often enough, we make robotic decisions and our consumption becomes habitual. Time to make some conscious decisions to take us out of our spiraling destructive patterns.
Many prominent climate scientists including James Hansen, Jason Box and Rajendra Pachauri, the Head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of the United Nations, are calling for people to reduce their meat consumption as the most effective individual action we can take to reduce climate change.
To make it easy for you to start today, Chipotle, is making an offer you can't refuse:
To get the word out about their new organic tofu Sofritas, Chipotle is offering a tasty deal, nationwide. If you order their Sofritas today, January 26th, and save your receipt, you can return anytime between January 27th and February 28th, 2015, for a FREE burrito, order of tacos, salad or bowl of your choice.
It’s a risk-free way to try their new tofu option and enjoy a Meatless Monday. Chipotle is committed to serving the best sustainably raised food possible, with an eye to great taste and great nutrition. Their new Sofritas is no exception. They start with Hodo Soy, made from non-GMO, US-grown whole soybeans. It’s shredded, then braised with chipotle chilis, roasted poblanos, and a blend of aromatic spices. Chances are you won’t miss the meat in your burrito, taco, or salad once you taste the spicy Sofritas.
I'll see you at Chipotle later, I love their Sofritas!