California’s $500m school kitchen budget allows for more plant-based meals and vegan milks
The school kitchen provision enables schools to provide animal-free options and alternatives to dairy.
Millions of California students could soon have access to plant-based meals and dairy-free milks at school, after the state approved a $500 million kitchen infrastructure fund that allows for animal-free food options.
Governor of California Gavin Newsom has finalized the $351.7 billion budget for educational institutions for 2026-2027, which has been approved by the state legislature.
The budget includes a $500 million Kitchen Infrastructure and Training (KIT) provision, which contains wording that allows institutions to purchase alternative milks and plant-based food options for students.
The KIT provision will allow schools to upgrade their kitchen infrastructure, expand cooking options, train staff, and purchase a range of healthy food options, including plant-based meals. The 2025 edition of KIT allowed schools to purchase California-grown food options for the first time.
The clause proposing the plant-based options was introduced by Assemblymember Robert Garcia, who led the request that led to the provision.
“The expanded dietary flexibility will allow students access to meals that meet their needs, and a child who is not worried about hunger is a child who will be able to learn,” said Garcia.
Assemblymembers Ash Kalra, Darshana Patel, Rick Chavez Zbur, Matt Haney, and Isaac G Bryan also backed the clause as did Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh.
In January this year, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act was signed into law, allowing schools in the National Lunch Program to offer dairy-free milks to all students based on a note from their parent or guardian, rather than only their doctor. This ended an 80-year mandate on dairy in schools.
Credit: Governor Gavin Newsom/Instagram
Following this legislation, policy advocates in the state of California called for funding to expand options.
A letter signed by over 120 school districts, organizations, businesses, and other local stakeholders requested a budget allocation to allow educational institutions to purchase fortified, nutritionally adequate plant-based milks and alternative meat options. Signees included Humane World for Animals, Oatly, Forager Project, the Good Food Institute, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and more.
“This is a significant win for California students, families, and school nutrition programs,” said Marjorie Mulhall, executive director of the Plant-Based Food Association (PBFA), who also signed the letter. “By allowing schools to use these funds to purchase plant-based food and milk options, California is giving districts greater flexibility to serve nutritious meals that reflect the diverse dietary needs and preferences of the students they serve.”
Research has repeatedly shown that plant-based foods can support growing children. A meta-analysis from 2025 done by researchers from the US, Italy, and Australia examined growth and overall health in 48,000 children and adolescents around the world, reviewing data from 59 studies across 18 countries.
The research concluded that properly planned vegetarian and vegan diets can help support heart health and allow children to obtain more fiber and vitamins - as long as potential nutritional gaps, such as calcium and vitamin B12, are addressed.
The analysis stated that if these key nutrients are sufficiently provided, a plant-based diet can have advantages for growing children compared to a meat-heavy omnivorous diet.
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