Whenever people hear that Young Friends is fully plant-based, there’s usually a small pause. Sometimes it’s curiosity, sometimes genuine interest, sometimes it’s a quiet concern…
“But is that enough for children?” It’s a fair question. And I think it deserves a proper answer.
First, it helps to clarify something. Plant-based isn’t the same as “vegan” in the way people often imagine it. Veganism is usually framed as an ethical identity. What we do at Young Friends is about how food is prepared, what it’s made from, and how it aligns with the wider sustainability model of the kindergarten.
For us, plant-based means everything is cooked from scratch. No ultra-processed substitutes. No packet sauces pretending to be something else. No refined sugars. No additives. No shortcuts. Just real ingredients. Vegetables that look like vegetables. Lentils that were once dried pulses. Wholegrains, beans, seeds, fresh herbs. We even make our own oat milk.
However it’s not about removing meat and replacing it with imitation products. It’s about building meals from whole foods in the first place.And yes — part of the decision is also about animals and the planet. Of course we care deeply about the animals who live alongside us. Our children feed and care for rabbits and dogs every day. It would feel contradictory to talk about compassion, connection and respect for living things — and then ignore the realities of industrial animal farming.
Large-scale meat production has a significant environmental impact. It requires vast amounts of land, contributes to deforestation, and places pressure on ecosystems. Forests are cleared to create grazing land or grow animal feed. Water use is high. Emissions are high.
Children may not grasp all of that complexity yet — but they do understand fairness. They understand care. They understand when something feels consistent. And for us, this is about coherence. If we teach sustainability, then the food we serve has to sit comfortably within that story.
But nutrition matters just as much. The biggest myth I hear is about protein. In reality, protein deficiency in the UK is extremely rare. Children need a variety of amino acids across the week, and that’s easily met through legumes, grains and seeds. Lentil dhal with brown rice. Chickpea tagine. Bean chilli. Wholegrain breads that we make together.
Then there’s calcium and B12. We plan our menu carefully. We use mineral-rich whole foods. This isn’t guesswork or ideology — it’s thoughtful planning. Food at Young Friends isn’t separate from learning. Children help/fully prepare snacks. They harvest herbs. They compost scraps. They understand where ingredients come from. (Our Food, Nutrition & Healthy Eating Policy sets this out in detail .)
And what I see every day reassures me more than any debate ever could.
Children who sit and eat calmly.
Children who try new foods without pressure.
Children who don’t ride sugar highs and crashes.
Children who understand that food doesn’t just appear in plastic packaging.
We don’t rush mealtimes. We sit together. We talk about taste, texture and colour. We encourage children to check in with their bodies — are you still hungry, or does your tummy feel full now?
Is plant-based the only way to feed children? No. But a well-planned, whole-food plant-based menu is absolutely safe and healthy for children. And when it’s done properly, it does more than nourish bodies.
It aligns values.
It reduces environmental impact.
It avoids unnecessary harm.
It models consistency between what we say and what we do.
After twenty years in early childhood education, I’ve learned not to follow trends. My managers and I build systems that make sense. And this one does x
