New York City’s Revised Food Standards May Help to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

A new study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF) evaluated the impact of local food policies on population and environmental health. Using the New York City Food Standards for Meals and Snacks Purchased and Served as the basis for this study, the researchers conducted two analyses that explored changes in menu offerings of participating agencies during fiscal years 2019 through 2024 (excluding fiscal year 2020 due to COVID-19) and the greenhouse gas emissions and nutrition content associated with those offerings. Their findings reflect a shift from beef entrées to more vegetarian entrées offered during this period. They also found a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, while nutritional content remained consistent. 

The study, “Menu Changes Under NYC’s Revised Food Standards Were Associated With a Reduction In Greenhouse Gas Emissions” was published online in Health Affairs on May 4, 2026. New York City has been recognized as a national leader in the development and implementation of food system approaches. Established in 2008, the NYC Food Standards for Meals and Snacks Purchased and Served have been applied since 2012 to over 219 million meals and snacks yearly with the goal of decreasing the prevalence of chronic disease. The 2022 revisions to the standards were noteworthy as they included environmental sustainability as a factor in setting the updates. As a result, the 2022 revision included limits on beef, processed meat, and added sugar on city agencies’ menus.  

Four New York City government agencies participated in this study. They include the NYC Administration for Children’s Services, Department of Corrections, NYC Public Schools, and NYC Health + Hospitals. As the technical adviser for the standards, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene provided sample menus from the recent five fiscal years (FY 2019-2024) for this study’s analysis. The researchers evaluated the food policy’s impacts through two related analyses: (1) a center-of-the-plate offerings analysis and (2) an assessment of greenhouse gas emissions and nutrition content using seven menu days before and after the 2022 revisions of the standards. 

For the center-of-the-plate offerings analysis, all menu entrées were classified based on their “center-of-the-plate” protein source (e.g., beef, chicken, turkey, pork, seafood, vegetarian, or uncertain with mixed or unspecified meats). Vegetarian entrées were further classified as dairy, meat substitute, whole or minimally processed plant protein (e.g., legumes, beans, and tofu or tempeh), or egg. Percentage-point changes were calculated for each agency and fiscal year.  

Researchers assessed the greenhouse gas emissions and nutrition content per program and fiscal year. From FY2019 to FY2024, all agencies decreased their menu offerings that featured beef as the center-of-the-plate protein source. The largest percentage-point reduction was observed in schools that served grades pre-K through 8th grade (17 percentage points). As beef offerings declined, these agencies offered more vegetarian food items. NYC Health + Hospitals acute care meal program showed the largest increase in the frequency of vegetarian menu offerings (52 percentage points). 

The researchers’ analysis on greenhouse gas emissions and nutrition content before and after the 2022 revisions of the standards revealed the following key results. Collectively, changes in the total menu offerings across the four agencies were associated with a reduction of 0.64 kilograms carbon dioxide equivalent per portion (21%) and 0.34 kilograms carbon dioxide equivalent per 1,000 calories (22%). Variations in greenhouse gas emissions per agency were identified. As for nutrition content across all four agencies, no statistically significant changes in the total menu offerings were found after the 2022 revisions. There were, however, some statistically significant changes within specific agencies and their respective programs. 

“Local governments buy a tremendous amount of food, and their purchasing decisions matter,” says Roni Neff, the senior author of this study, professor in the Bloomberg School’s Environmental Health & Engineering department and affiliated faculty with CLF.  “As cities everywhere look for ways to shrink their greenhouse gas footprints, New York City provides a successful example of cutting food-related greenhouse gas emissions by over 20% without compromising nutrition.” 

“Our study provides evidence that institutional food standards can be a tool for supporting climate goals,” says Elsie R. H. Moore, lead author, former doctoral student at the Bloomberg School of Public Health and CLF research assistant, now postdoctoral associate at Cornell University. “We found that shifts toward more plant-forward meal offerings across New York City agencies were associated with substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. I hope this work encourages cities to continue exploring how menu changes and food standards can help advance environmental and climate goals.” 

“Menu Changes Under NYC’s Revised Food Standards Were Associated With a Reduction In Greenhouse Gas Emissions” was co-authored by E.R.H. Moore, Alyssa J. Moran, Laura Stadler, Elizabeth Solomon, Sonia Y. Angell, and Roni A. Neff.