Greener cafeterias for a greener future

At Dyrenes Ambassadør, we have joined forces with several plant-based organizations and companies that share our goal of accelerating the transition to plant-based diets in canteens across Denmark. Read more about our partners here.

Why plant-based?

There are many reasons to offer more plant-based dishes in canteens. Here are some of the main reasons:

Health    Dietary guidelines state that we should eat many more plants than we do today, and it is important that children and young people learn good eating habits at an early age. By serving them lots of vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and fruit, you can ensure that they get all the nutrients they need while also learning that healthy food can be really delicious!

Climate and biodiversity    Over a third of Denmark's CO2 emissions come from agriculture, and 80% of Danish agriculture consists of animals. This also means that half of the country is used to grow feed for livestock, which puts enormous pressure on nature and biodiversity. We have a duty to teach the next generations how to take care of the planet and nature—and that starts on our plates.

Inclusion    Many people live with food allergies, some of the most common of which in Denmark are of animal origin (seafood, milk, fish, and eggs). Many others are lactose intolerant, others choose to avoid certain foods for religious reasons (most often animal products), and others choose to eat vegan or vegetarian for ethical, health, or climate-related reasons. Plant-based dishes are inherently inclusive of all these people.

Taxes    Did you know that plant-based food is often cheaper than the animal-based alternative? We know that all institutions have a budget to adhere to and that the fear of investing in plant-based options is often based on the perception that they are more expensive. However, this is mostly a misconception, as several studies point to a vegan diet as being the cheapest!

The animals    The animals we eat are sentient beings that are produced under conditions of captivity, oppression, violence, and pain. In Denmark, most parents teach their children that it is not okay to mistreat other animals – but at the same time, it has become normalised that non-human animals are mistreated and killed so that we can eat their meat and drink their milk. However, with the knowledge we have today about animals, diet, and health, there is no doubt that it is possible to thrive without animal products in one's diet. By eating vegan, one contributes to reducing the suffering of others, while also speaking out against the industries that profit from exploiting non-human animals.

Free workshops for cafeteria staff

Although all of the above are good reasons to move more towards a plant-based diet, we know that change is not always easy. That is why we, together with our partners, offer free workshops for canteen staff, where we share recipes and information about plant-based dishes, among other things.

The workshops are offered by both Organic Plant Food and Plantevækst, depending on their availability, your location, and the number of participants. Both companies have extensive experience in holding workshops for cafeteria staff and have achieved excellent results. Their workshops are partly theoretical, teaching about the benefits of increasing the intake of plant-based foods, and partly practical, teaching how to use different products and providing inspiration with delicious plant-based dishes (the canteens are responsible for purchasing the food themselves).