Helsinki Votes to Have Daycares Offer Vegan Food

Finland’s capital city Helsinki has announced plans to engage in a one-year trial of introducing vegan meals into local daycare centers. The Helsinki City Board approved the measure this week, which will see plant-based breakfasts, lunches, and snacks provided for children at 20 schools, at a cost of around $13 per child instead of $8, or an additional $1,100 more each year, initial estimates conclude. A study conducted earlier this year found 27 vegan families with children in the city’s daycare system—all of which currently pack food for their children daily—but also determined that up to 125 families would also choose vegan meal options if made available. The pilot program follows news of other childhood educational institutions going completely vegan or offering more vegan options, including the all-plant-based MUSE school in Calabasas, CA, Italy’s first vegan kindergarten, and a New Jersey preschool which was recently profiled in the Wall Street Journal for its vegan offerings.