College and universities

Meatless Monday is a global movement to help people eat more fruits, vegetables, and healthy plant-based foods. Cutting out meat one day per week is not only good for your health and the health of the planet, but it’s also a great way to try new ingredients, dishes, and cuisines. Whether you’re a student, professor, or faculty member, we have everything you need to start a Meatless Monday program on your campus.  

People sitting in cafeteria and eating food

How to get started: 

  1. Understand the benefits: Review our benefits fact sheet to learn how Meatless Monday helps support healthy eating habits, personal wellness, and environmental sustainability. 
  2. Get faculty support: Submit a request or proposal to your college’s health and wellness center, sustainability department, or campus dining services to see how you can pilot a Meatless Monday program at your school. If you’re a student, consider aligning yourself with a faculty mentor. Use our sample outreach letter or create your own. 
  3. Encourage adoption by dining hall or campus cafeteria: A Meatless Monday campaign is an impactful addition to any campus dining program. Talk with your school’s foodservice director to see how you can launch Meatless Monday by offering plant-based options on Mondays and promoting it throughout the school. Share our suggested menu terminology and best practices along with staff training tips to ensure the Meatless Monday program is a success. 
  4. Propose a class project: Meatless Monday covers a range of issues related to nutrition, sustainability, conservation, and public health, making it an excellent research topic. You can start small by surveying classmates about plant-based foods or take it a step further by investigating the environmental impacts of industrial meat production. This information can then be used to pilot a campus-wide Meatless Monday program.  
  5. Collaborate with a student club: There are numerous student-led campus organizations dedicated to sustainability, environmental justice, public health, and animal welfare. Partner with a club, group, sorority, fraternity, or sports team to help start a Meatless Monday program. You can begin by sharing recipes, cooking tips, or local vegetarian or plant-based restaurants. You can also establish a weekly “potluck” centered around meat-free meals. For more ideas, review success stories to see how other students and colleges have implemented Meatless Monday. 
  6. Raise awareness: Generating support for a Meatless Monday campaign is imperative to its success. Connect with your campus’s center for health and wellness or dining service and ask them to promote Meatless Monday using our social media assets or printable materials. Our Get Started with Meatless Monday 12-week campaign is easy to share online. Leverage special events like Earth Day and American Heart Month to host a meat-free tasting, hand out flyers, or start an email sign-up list to connect with people passionate about the cause.  
  7. Surveys: Better understand how students and faculty feel about Meatless Monday and plant-based foods with pre and post surveys. Use the results to update a pilot or plan for your next campaign or expansion.