that's not all
There’s a healthier, planet-friendlier option that will save you money.
There are other sustainable options out there. But reuse is the best—plus it has been proven to save schools money over time.
The cafeteria is the greatest source of a school’s carbon emissions.
A single middle school can create more than 30,000 lbs of lunchroom waste annually—nationwide, that’s 3 billion pounds of waste!
Change is coming for restricting plastic waste on a global scale.
In March 2022, 175 countries agreed to a first-of-its-kind global treaty to restrict plastic waste.
Join the movement with us — change to stainless steel in your cafeteria.
Steel can be recycled repeatedly without any loss of quality or strength. Our products are 100% recycled steel with no toxic run-off.
![child with stainless steel cafeteria tray](http://ahimsaschools.com/cdn/shop/files/cafeteria_tray_1.jpg?crop=center&height=781&v=1710528158&width=2000)
![Adoption of reusable wares will also result in a significant reduction of waste and a subsequent cut in hauling and disposal fees. By switching to plastic baskets, Bishop O’Dowd High School eliminated 1.68 tons of waste each year.](http://ahimsaschools.com/cdn/shop/files/pics_forweb_cafeteria8_f89e8b8a-51b6-46bc-8aa0-82093ee51898.jpg?crop=center&height=1800&v=1720727537&width=1800)
![stainless steel bowls](http://ahimsaschools.com/cdn/shop/files/pics_forweb_earlychildhood9.jpg?crop=center&height=1800&v=1686856305&width=1800)
![In 2018, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a Food Additives and Child Health policy statement warning parents that chemicals in plastic are harmful to a child’s hormones, growth and brain development. One way to reduce exposure to food additives is to “use alternatives to plastic, such as glass or stainless steel” to serve and store food.](http://ahimsaschools.com/cdn/shop/files/pics_forweb_cafeteria11.jpg?crop=center&height=1800&v=1724264871&width=1800)
![stainless steel compartment plates](http://ahimsaschools.com/cdn/shop/files/pics_forweb_earlychildhood5.jpg?crop=center&height=2400&v=1724265164&width=2400)
But stainless steel saves you more $$$ over time.
Two Year Savings: $18,240
For a school with 500 students
![think_blue_the_smurfs_3d5c6d6f-ff83-4647-97a5-7a3247ccbf04.png](http://ahimsaschools.com/cdn/shop/files/think_blue_the_smurfs_3d5c6d6f-ff83-4647-97a5-7a3247ccbf04.png?crop=center&height=1044&v=1714754048&width=1044)
We're a program. We educate students to be change-makers.
We have partnered with The Smurfs™ to develop an engaging educational curriculum filled with fun facts, creative ideas and advocacy initiatives.
Together with the Smurfs, we're turning the cafeteria into the classroom, to teach the relationships between humans and our planet—and to model ways to make healthy, responsible changes in daily routines.
![Healthy foodware - the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that we store and serve children's food on stainless steel (NOT plastic). Plastic transfers harmfuls chemicals into children's food - impacting their hormones, growth and brain development. Stainless steel is the healthy choice for students.](http://ahimsaschools.com/cdn/shop/files/pics_forweb_cafeteria2_4433dbbb-9064-4d33-b08f-ac6c6922e31a.jpg?crop=center&height=1800&v=1720727537&width=1800)
We can meet your ESG goals.
Founded by a board-certified pediatrician and Indian immigrant, Ahimsa is a proud female, minority-owned business.
Ahimsa founder, Dr. Manasa Mantravadi, and her parents are from India, where stainless steel dishes have been routinely used for generations. Ahimsa is a Sanskrit word meaning “avoiding harm” and was started for one simple reason: Dr. Mantravadi, saw an opportunity to advocate for children’s health—on a national scale.