New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced a multi-step plan to improve nutrition education in the city's public schools.
Created in partnership with the New York City Department of Education and the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy, the roadmap includes three goals designed to increase nutrition education and healthy eating among students and their families: Help students learn about healthy eating and wellness; increase the accessibility of healthy, nutritious and culturally appropriate meals in schools; and motivate parents, foodservice workers, educators and other members of school communities to be wellness ambassadors.
The city plans to reach these goals through initiatives such as creating a food education guidebook, launching a food education council, updating equipment in school kitchens and offering professional development opportunities for teachers.
“New York City is leading the way in healthy food, eating, and lifestyles—and I am proud to announce the next step in our journey: New York City’s first ever food education roadmap,” said Mayor Adams in a statement. “I know the power of healthy eating firsthand: Switching to a plant-based diet reversed the effects of my type 2 diabetes and saved my eyesight. With this roadmap, we’re going to teach our children how to eat better—building healthier schools, healthier communities and a healthier city for all New Yorkers.”
This is Adams' latest initiative to overhaul the foodservice program at the school district, which is the nation's largest. Last year, he launched a Chefs Council to create scratch-made, culturally relevant, plant-based dishes for students and provide hands-on training for school nutrition staff. He also introduced Plant Powered Fridays, a program where all of the city’s public schools serve a plant-based option for lunch on the last day of the school week.