Balanced Inc

Balanceds Community & Youth Advocacy program mobilizes students, families, and community members to advocate for healthier, plant-forward meals in schools and institutions. In 2024, the program contributed to a public awareness campaign in Illinois, enabling families to request plant-based meals from their districts and generating more than 1,000 requests across 285 districtsreaching 30% of all K12 districts in the state. The team also advanced the Focus on Fiber public awareness, education, and promotional campaign, elevating fiber as a key nutrient for health and helping schools and communities close the fiber gap through accessible, evidence-based resources. Digital tools, downloadable guides, and advocacy materials equipped local leaders and students to take action and build momentum for institutional change.

Balanceds Research & Policy program generates evidence to guide institutional menu reform and strengthen nutrition standards in schools. In 2024, the team initiated a national research project analyzing school menus from 90+ districts across the United States to determine whether school breakfasts and lunches provide adequate dietary fiber and to model how replacing meat-based entrées with bean-based, high-fiber alternatives could affect overall nutrition quality. Using descriptive statistics, meal simulations, and substitution analysis, the project examines fiber content, identifies primary sources of dietary fiber on menus, and estimates the nutritional impact of plant-based substitutions on key nutrients such as protein, saturated fat, and sodium. This research will inform upcoming publications, policy recommendations, and technical guidance to help schools close the fiber gap and improve meal quality nationwide.