Milk is cruel, says vegan schoolgirl
WHEN Lydia Lansberry found out about what she claims is “cruelty” in Britain’s £6bn-a-year dairy industry, she went vegan.
The 12 year-old from Cwmbran is now joining a call from the Vegan Society for vegan option school meals.
Lydia, raised by her parents as a vegetarian from birth, also gave up eating all animal products such as milk, cheese and eggs, nine months ago.
The Croesyceiliog School pupil said: “My mother went vegan because of animal cruelty and I did too.
“Baby cows are taken away from their mothers, don’t see them again and are kept in pens so we can drink their mothers’ milk. I don’t want to be part of that.”
Like most teenagers, she likes chocolate and ice cream. But now she says she is happy with vegan alternatives.
The pizza-loving Year Eight schoolgirl admits she did miss cheese at first but has adapted and now eats more pulses for protein.
“There are a lot of vegan options now. You can get vegan ice cream – there is a new chocolate brownie one which is delicious.
“I also like hummus and spiced BBQ cauliflower wings.
“But I usually have to take a packed lunch to school because there are not a lot of vegan options except chips and beans. I would buy school meals if there were vegan choices.
“There are not a lot of vegetarians at my school either, but when I asked the cooks to make vegetarian food for me they did.
“I think we are quite a lot healthier since going vegan. I used to eat a lot of cheese and now I eat more pulses. One of the things I have noticed about giving up dairy is that I used to have smelly breath and now I don’t.
“You are not out on a limb any more as a vegan. There are a lot of choices. Perhaps schools have not clicked with it? It’s a good thing the Vegan Society has raised this issue.
“I don’t think I am missing out on anything being a vegan but I would like to have vegan choices in school.”
Lydia’s mother Claire said she had put no pressure on her daughter to become vegan and son Jake, who is a year older, continues to be a vegetarian but eats dairy and other animal produce.
Vegans do not eat dairy including eggs, milk and cheese, or other animal products such as honey.
The Vegan Society will petition parliaments in Wales, England and Scotland later this summer, asking for a vegan menu to be provided on all public sector canteen menus, including schools.
While National Farmers’ Union figures say 98% of the UK population eat or drink dairy products, the Vegan Society says half a million people in the UK follow a vegan diet.
Torfaen County Borough Council said school menus are always under review and it will consider requests, including pupils wanting vegan alternatives.
A spokesman said: “The council considers all requests for special diets and always aims to accommodate the dietary needs of our pupils. We employ a dietitian to oversee the food and drink offered in schools and to analyse the nutritional value of our menus.
“In addition to our standard menu in primary schools, we currently provide 17 special menus to meet pupils’ individual dietary needs.
“Our menus are always under review and we’re aware of the growing popularity of vegan diets. However, we generally rely on pupils or parents informing us of special requirements and we’re not aware of any vegan requests over the past few months.”
The National Association of Head Teachers Cymru has also said it is not aware of any demand for vegan school meals, although individual heads said it could be considered.
An NFU spokeswoman denied the dairy industry was cruel, saying dairy farmers’ priority was keeping their animals healthy and happy.
“Calves are removed from their mothers within 24 hours of birth to reduce anxiety and prevent stress as well as reduce worry experienced by the mother. Once the calves are put into well-ventilated, clean, cosy pens with enough food and drink, they are content.
“The majority of British dairy cows spend the spring and summer months grazing outdoors and spend the cold, wet autumn and winter months housed in large, open barns. Generally, female calves are reared to join the milking herd as replacements or are sold on to other dairy farms.”