Sir Paul McCartney and his daughters Stella and Mary have joined a call to change guidance that makes it mandatory to serve fish, meat and dairy in England’s school meals. The McCartneys, founders of Meat-Free Monday, want to see schoolchildren given more opportunities to choose climate-friendly vegan meals. They have signed a letter to the education secretary, Gavin Williamson, which has been written as part of the consultation process for the National Food Strategy, a landmark review of Britain’s food system. That strategy is an opportunity to revise School Food Standards, which make it mandatory to serve fish, meat and dairy, and replace them with nutritional guidelines “that allow schools to be more flexible”. In a statement, the McCartneys said: “No one needs to eat meat, so it shouldn’t be mandatory to serve it in schools. It’s time to revise the School Food Standards to help the planet, spare animals, and promote healthy eating.” The campaign to change the “outdated” standards is led by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Its leaders point to a 2019 poll that revealed that 70% of British children want more vegan meals on their school menus. “As the world faces dual health and climate crises, going vegan is one of the best things young people can do for animals, the planet, and their own health,” PETA said. The letter, also backed by Greenpeace and the Royal Society for Public Health, argues that the standards are unnecessarily restrictive. “So long as nutritional needs are met, individual school caterers should have the freedom to decide whether they wish to include meat and dairy in their menus.” The current school food plan states that dairy should be served each day, that meat and poultry should be served three or more times a week, non-dairy protein for vegetarians at least three times per week, and that oily fish should be served at least once every three weeks. Bridget Benelam, a spokesperson for the British Nutrition Foundation, said it was vital that schools provided nutritious meals. “It’s possible, although challenging, to put together menus for children without animal products that provide all the essential nutrients they need to grow and be healthy, and there are many positive aspects of having a more plant-based diet. “However, it is important to consider that dairy, meat and fish are bioavailable sources of some key vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12, calcium, iron and zinc, and so guidance would be needed on suitable plant-based alternatives that could provide these in adequate amounts.”