Skip to main content
California Department of Education Logo

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 16 - Legislative Report

Report to the Governor, Legislature, and the Legislative Analyst's Office: Assembly Concurrent Resolution 16: Nutrition: Vegetarian School Lunches.

California Department of Education
Report to the Governor, Legislature, and the Legislative Analyst’s Office:
Assembly Concurrent Resolution 16: Nutrition: Vegetarian School Lunches
Executive Summary

The California Department of Education and the California Department of Public Health are submitting this report in response to the 2003 Assembly Concurrent Resolution (ACR) 16: Nutrition: Vegetarian School Lunches sponsored by Assemblyman Joe Nation. It presents a summary of the current efforts and progress being made to offer vegetarian and cultural school lunches to students in public schools.

This report provides information on the health status of school children, student dietary habits, vegetarian diets, and statewide efforts to support vegetarian/vegan meal service and nutrition education in schools. It highlights school districts that offer vegetarian/vegan meals, outlines potential regulatory changes and factors that affect or may affect implementation of ACR 16, and provides recommendations for additional work. The report also includes information on activities that are building a foundation to further achieve ACR 16 goals and improve student meals and overall student health.

You may find this report at California Department of Education ACR 16 (PDF; 3MB). If you have any questions regarding this report, please contact the California Department of Education Nutrition Services Division by phone at 800-952-5609 or by email at SNPinfo@cde.ca.gov.

Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Thursday, April 30, 2026
Related Content
Recently Posted in Nutrition
  • 2026–27 FFVP Grant Recipient Announcement (added 31-Jul-2026)
    On July 30, 2026, the CDE NSD awarded and posted the FFVP first allocation grant recipients and funding allocations for School Year 2026–27 on the CDE FFVP Funding Results web page. The FFVP first allocation is July 1, 2026–September 30, 2026.
  • Local School Wellness Policy Final Rule--Revised (added 29-Jul-2026)
    Management Bulletin SNP-03-2026: The Local School Wellness Policy Final Rule (Revised) provides additional information explaining the requirements of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's local school wellness policy requirements.
  • Competitive Food and Beverages Definition of Sold (added 29-Jul-2026)
    Management Bulletin SNP-28-2014, AB 626 (Skinner), EC 49430(f): Competitive foods and beverages: implementing the definition sold.
  • Farm to Summer Celebration Week 2026: Post-Survey (added 17-Jul-2026)
    The California Department of Education (CDE) recognizes SMP operators who complete the three key elements during the F2Summer Celebration Week: 1) Taste, 2) Teach, and 3) Connect.
  • Powering Up with Plant-based Menus and Marketing (added 16-Jul-2026)
    The School Nutrition Programs Powering Up with Plant-based Menus and Marketing online training.