This bill mandates that all public schools in Minnesota, including charter schools, must offer at least one plant-based meal option daily as part of their regular lunch service, starting from the 2026-2027 school year. A "plant-based meal option" is defined as a meal that contains no animal products, including meat, poultry, fish, dairy, or eggs, and must comply with federal nutrition guidelines. Schools are required to provide these options upon prior written request from students and must ensure that information about the availability of these meals is accessible to students, parents, and guardians.

To facilitate this requirement, the Minnesota Department of Education will develop guidelines and resources for schools, including training for school nutrition teams. Schools must report annually on their implementation of this requirement, detailing the number of plant-based options offered, requests received, and any challenges faced. The bill emphasizes the importance of compliance, with the Department of Education monitoring adherence and taking appropriate actions against non-compliant schools. The effective date for this legislation is August 1, 2026.