Toward a Balanced Meal Future: The Role of Procurement

 

Public procurement has the potential to shape dietary patterns at scale, particularly in institutions such as schools, hospitals, and military bases. While plant-based food habits are widely recognized for reducing risks of non-communicable diseases, including coronary conditions, procurement policies must also respect human rights and cultural preferences for meat consumption. This paper argues that the most fruitful pathway lies not in exclusionary approaches, but in designing procurement frameworks that promote balanced meals. Such an approach integrates the health benefits of plant-based diets with the principle of individual choice. Future research should therefore explore how procurement strategies can deliver a balanced meal future — one that harmonizes sustainability, nutrition, and human rights.

It may be more fruitful to emphasize that procurement should lead to balanced meals. Plant-based food habits certainly protect people from diseases such as coronary heart conditions, but we should not overlook the human right to enjoy meat as part of their diet. Striking a balance might be the key solution.

A future research direction could therefore explore how procurement policies can ensure a balanced meal future integrating both health benefits and individual choice.

Conclude by my three important points:

1.    Balanced meals as the central goal

2.    Acknowledging health benefits of plant-based diets

3.    Respecting human rights and dietary choice

Any training academy cafeteria, university. cafeteria can take procurement policy to making balance meals list for a week. For example

Meat-Free-Monday

Fish-Free-Wednesday

This will create a culture of maintaining green procurement and Policy Integration align SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).

Future Research:

Balanced Meals Through Public Procurement: A Future Research Agenda