Schools Promote Meat-Free Meals; Debate Over Health and Climate Impact
Creatrip Team
4 months ago
Many South Korean schools and education offices are introducing “meat-free” or “vegetarian days” in school lunches to reduce carbon emissions and broaden student choice. Some schools serve fully plant-based meals (e.g., noodle soup with kimchi, vegetable-filled dumplings, corn-topped bread, kimchi, salad). Supporters cite climate action and accommodation for students with religious or cultural dietary needs. But livestock industry groups and nutrition experts warn of problems: they say the climate benefits are small, excluding meat may create negative impressions of eating meat, and removing a main source of protein risks nutritional imbalance for growing students. Officials are split—some promote “low-carbon” menus and held conferences on climate-friendly school food, while others say implementation is impractical due to staffing and question whether meat exclusion projects were driven by specific civic groups. Experts recommend reducing emissions more effectively by cutting long-transported imported meats rather than broadly eliminating animal protein in school meals.
