California’s $500M School Food Budget Enables Broader Access to Plant-Based Milk & Meals

California's 2026-27 budget includes a $500 million provision for school kitchens, allowing educational institutions to purchase plant-based meals and milk alternatives. This funding enables schools to modernize kitchen infrastructure, train nutrition staff, expand scratch cooking, and offer healthy, inclusive meal options for students with allergies, intolerances, and dietary preferences.

The budget also aligns with a federal law allowing schools to offer non-dairy milk alternatives to students with disabilities based on parental permission, expanding the definition of acceptable milk products in school meals. Advocates in California, including plant-based companies, non-profits, and health organizations, praised the budget for promoting nutritious meals that accommodate diverse dietary needs and preferences, while also addressing environmental concerns associated with dairy production.