Amid the ongoing debate over Lyon's new meatless school menus, one question stands out: Do children truly need meat to stay healthy? While opinions differ, nutrition experts agree that kids can grow strong and healthy without it.
In France, a heated controversy is unfolding. Starting February 22, 2021, Lyon authorities introduced a single meatless menu in school canteens until the Easter holidays. Political figures responded swiftly, including Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie. In a February 21, 2021 tweet, he stressed the need to provide children with "what they need to grow well—meat is one of them."
However, a February 27 Le Monde article quoted Benjamin Allès, a nutritional epidemiology researcher at Paris-XIII University. He affirmed that a midday meatless meal poses no nutritional imbalance for children, as they likely consume other animal products at home.
These discussions touch on economics, environment, and culinary traditions, amid diverse plant-based diets like pesco-vegetarianism (fish but no meat), veganism (no animal products), and lacto-vegetarianism (dairy but no meat or eggs). Each offers varying nutrients crucial for children's growth and adult well-being.
For Lyon's canteen changes, risks are minimal if meals stay balanced. Key nutrients like proteins from meat are also available in fish, dairy, cereals, and legumes. Pesco-vegetarian options are endorsed by France's National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), which in early 2020 found no likely deficiencies from such shifts.
