NYC soy milk school pilot cuts emissions and boosts

New York City lowered its milk-related emissions in schools by 17% through a soy milk pilot that is now expanding to 12 schools this fall. The pilot in five schools reduced greenhouse gas emissions per 100 milk servings by 30.4% and saw soy milk make up more than a third of all milk chosen.

Average milk selection increased by 18.6%, representing about 126 additional servings per day, across three schools with baseline data. Among those same three schools, average daily milk-related greenhouse gas emissions fell by 17.4%. Across all five pilot locations, 35.6% of the milk selected by students was soy milk.

The five schools in the initial pilot were Beacon High School, Maspeth High School, PS 244, Vertex Partnership Academies, and PS 369. Participating schools offered organic soy milk directly on the lunch line alongside existing dairy milk options. More than half of the students at PS 244 in Queens chose soy milk during the trial.

Expansion and policy context drive wider relevance

The pilot is expanding to 12 additional schools in fall 2025. It was launched by the New York City Office of Food & Nutrition Services and the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy, in partnership with the Plant Powered School Meals Coalition.

The initiative followed a federal law change allowing schools to offer nutritionally equivalent non-dairy milk without a doctor’s note. This builds on broader citywide progress in reducing the environmental impact of public food. New York City reduced the carbon footprint of its school meals by 59% between 2019 and 2025.

Land use for school meals decreased by 71% and the water footprint fell by 40% in the same period. The city government’s overall food emissions dropped by 36% between 2019 and 2025, surpassing its 33% reduction target for 2030. These gains were driven by significant shifts in purchasing.

The city also eliminated all processed meat and increased minimally processed plant proteins across 11 agencies. Last year, it launched the Plant-Powered Carbon Challenge with partners including Columbia University, The Rockefeller Foundation, Aramark, and the US Open.

Product details and equity benefits highlight student impact

The soy milk used was produced by Kikkoman and sold under the Pearl brand. Each 240ml carton contains 8g of protein, calcium equivalent to cow’s milk, 2g of fibre, and zero saturated fat. Its environmental footprint is markedly lower than dairy.

Soy milk generates less than a third of the greenhouse gases of dairy milk. It also uses 93% less land and 96% less water. The nutritional profile and lower environmental cost align with efforts to address dietary needs in a diverse student population.

Lactose intolerance affects around half of the nearly 30 million children in the National School Lunch Programme. Rates of lactose malabsorption are particularly high among many student demographics.

Emily Perryman, a registered dietitian for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, highlighted that the pilot improves access for students with lactose intolerance. Bob Groff, principal of PS 244 elementary school in Queens, noted the strong student participation.

Advocacy and coalition backing reinforce momentum

The initiative is backed by the Plant Powered School Meals Coalition. This coalition includes groups like Friends of the Earth, Chilis on Wheels, the Coalition for Healthy School Food, and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

Chloë Waterman, deputy director at Friends of the Earth, said the pilot’s success demonstrates a scalable model for sustainable school nutrition. The coalition’s endorsement shows broad support for plant-forward innovation in institutional food systems.

New York City is expanding the pilot to 12 additional schools in fall 2025.