Embedding Alternative Proteins in School Food and Learning Environments

Developed within the EU-funded LIKE-A-PRO project, this report provides a framework for integrating alternative proteins into school food and learning environments as part of broader food literacy, health, and sustainability education. Drawing on LIKE-A-PRO Living Labs, behavioural intervention pilots, and stakeholder recommendations, it highlights the potential of formal educational institutions to build familiarity, skills, confidence, and positive experiences with diverse protein sources from an early age. The framework connects classroom learning with school meals, practical cooking and tasting activities, procurement, and engagement with students and families. It recommends gradual and repeated exposure, age-appropriate education, nutritious and culturally relevant meals, support for educators and caterers, and meaningful student participation. By connecting what students learn with what they eat and experience, educational institutions can help make sustainable protein choices more understandable, familiar, and socially accepted over time.