Approximately 5% of the population is vegetarian, and to help provide more options for vegetarian students on campus, the school is now offering new items such as a Plant Powered Black Bean Burger and Cheeseburger, Plant Powered Chik’n and Marinara Pasta, and Butter Sauce over Chickpeas.

“Our Child Nutrition Department has always offered a vegetarian option daily on our menus, but over the last few years we have received more requests from students and parents for a variety of vegetarian protein sources,” Frisco ISD Child Nutrition Dietitian Casey Perry said. “In addition to trends, we also have a growing population of students who follow a vegetarian diet. We have been working with vendors and doing taste tests among students to try to diversify options for our students and our district”.

Although the new additions benefit vegetarians more than others, the options can have benefits for all students. 

“Vegetarianism has had a huge impact on my life. I  have to find alternate sources of protein since I can’t eat chicken or other meats. I usually bring lunch from home since it’s healthier and I don’t have to worry about eating anything that I’m not allowed to eat.” freshman Somy Nagada said. “These changes can be beneficial for all students because vegetarianism can have lots of positive impacts on your health, like reducing heart attack risks and controlling cholesterol.”

Since vegetarian foods can sometimes lack the proper nutrients that regular meals may share, school nutritionists have to find ways to make up the difference. 

“As menu planners and dietitians at the district level, whenever we add new items to the menus there are many steps we must take.  These steps include testing and procuring products, creating and testing a recipe, and finding a way to work those items into our menus to ensure variety and balance,” Perry said. “The kitchen staff may have an additional menu item to prepare and that may require extra staff to produce, but we have tried to take items that we are already serving and create a vegetarian option available when possible”.

The option of more vegetarian menu items helps students that follow such a diet feel more included.

“I think that having more accessible food options is extremely important to making sure vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike feel included in school and are able to purchase something they can enjoy,” senior Olivia Birge said. “Also, it gives people with food restrictions, such as vegetarians, more choices of good meals they can eat, rather than just having a single option”

The district is aiming towards a greater overall involvement in the decision making process concerning the breakfast and lunch menus. 

“The nutrition department is always looking for ways to improve our menus,” Perry said. “We are trying to get students more involved in the decision making for the menus especially at the secondary level and that is why we are starting to host Open House events for students and parents. It is important for us to get feedback on the menus from our community.”