A plant-based diet is associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes, making plant-based meals one of the healthiest options for growing Kiwis.
A diet of processed foods and few fruits and vegetables takes its toll on the body over time. The greatest benefit of a healthy diet is its role in the possible prevention of some diseases, and it establishes lifelong healthy eating habits.
Gone are the days of plant-based options for kids being relegated to highly processed meat and dairy alternatives, innovation in the market means there is now a huge range of nutritious and tasty options to satisfy even the pickiest plant-based eater. For plant-based school lunch menu ideas, click here.
The Plant-Based Market for Kids
Speaking at the recent Food For Kids summit in Chicago, Linkage Research & Consulting founder and president, Michele Dekinder-Smith, said that millennials, specifically millennial parents, are the driving force behind plant-based kid-friendly products.
“What we see are the most popular plant-based categories for kids right now are non-dairy milk alternatives, non-dairy yoghurt, and plant-based snacks and meat alternatives,” noted Dekinder-smith.
Linkage research found that 60 percent of households with kinds are buying plant-based food alternatives and nearly all of them (over 80 percent) are feeding these foods to their kids.
“By 5–7 years old, most children in households that buy plant-based alternatives are enjoying these foods.”
Why Plant-Based?
The research from Linkage shows that about one-third of parents want to teach their kids how to eat responsibly and are teaching sustainability through their food choices. Providing plant-based meal items within a school lunch menu is the perfect opportunity for this kind of learning.
More and more children are also becoming independently interested in plant-based products chiefly because they are kinder to animals and the environment.
A 2019 poll in the United States, commissioned by Linda McCartney Foods questioned 1,000 children between the ages of 8-16 and found that 70 percent of them want to see more vegan and veggie meals on their school menu. Additionally, the poll found that 44 percent of school pupils have tried to cut meat from their diet, and 10 percent already live a meat-free lifestyle.
When asked about their motivations for wanting to ditch meat, 44 percent of the children cited being “kinder to animals,” while 31 percent cited the environment. An additional 29 percent said they wanted to be healthier, and 19 percent said they just prefer vegetarian options.
