Vegan doctor calls for fully plant-based meal options in Welsh school lunches

Ella Groves

New Welsh school food regulations could influence the availability of plant-based meal choices for learners a vegan doctor has shared.

The new Welsh Healthy Eating in Schools Regulations for maintained primary schools are due to come into effect at the end of October 2026 and are designed to strengthen healthy eating in schools.

Dr Jeanette Rowley, founder and chair of The Vegan Society’s International Rights Network, has discussed the impact the new school food regulations will have on vegan pupils on The Vegan Society blog.

Under the new regulations, schools will be required to offer a non-meat and non-fish lunch option where beans and/or pulses are the main source of protein once a week as the alternative to a meat or fish lunch on the same day.

However the new regulations do not mandate a fully vegan lunch option every day.

The weekly legumes-based meal is not required to be vegan and could still include eggs, milk, or other animal-derived ingredients under the new regulations making it an unsuitable option for vegan students.

In the blog post, Dr Rowley outlined how daily vegan provisions in school lunches could work in practice within the regulations.

She said caterers could accommodate vegan pupils across a five-day week menu by offering the required weekly option where beans/pulses are the main protein on one day, a plant-based burger/sausage-style option within the “processed alternatives” cap on up to 2 days, and plant-based meals built around non-meat proteins not treated as “processed alternatives” under the regulations’ definitions on the remaining days.

Within the regulations “processed alternatives” to meat and fish (meat alternative foods such as burgers and sausages) are allowed in school lunches no more than two days per week.

However, soya, pea-protein and mycoprotein mince/pieces/chunks are not classified as “processed alternatives to meat and fish” and therefore are not included in the two days per week rule creating additional opportunities to include vegan meals.

‘Disappointing’

Referencing the Welsh Government’s commitment to upholding the principles of human rights and its legal duties under the Equality Act 2010, Dr Rowley argues that since it is “well-established” that ethical veganism can be protected under human rights and equality law, it is “disappointing” that the Welsh Government have not mandated a fully vegan daily meal option within the new regulations.

She also notes that the Welsh Government’s Integrated Impact Assessment recognises the dietary needs of vegan pupils and encourages schools and local authorities to engage with learners and families to ensure school menus are inclusive and responsive to local needs.

Ending the blog post she said: “The new Regulations confirm welcome steps for school catering, but it is vital to the wellbeing of vegan pupils that the promised inclusive and strengthened guidance adequately supports the provision of a daily vegan meal without the need for individual requests.

“This will contribute to true inclusion and pupil wellbeing and remove the administrative burden placed on vegan families who would otherwise have to request vegan food for their children and potentially engage the formal complaint process.

“The guidance must also be published as soon as possible so that schools, local authorities and caterers can plan compliant menus for all, detail procurement contracts and address operating processes in time for the deadline.”

You can see Dr Rowley’s full blog post on The Vegan Society website here.

For more information about The Vegan Society you can visit their website.