Better Food, By Default
We’re powering a global movement for plant-forward, climate-smart food systems.
Normalizing plant-based food across institutions & cultures
Lasting change doesn’t start with individual choices — it starts with the institutions and cultures that shape them. We’re leading a plant-forward food movement, using behavioral science to shift what gets served in schools, hospitals, coffee shops, businesses, and workplaces, making plant-rich eating the new delicious default choice.
Our Impact
Plant-Based Default Adoptions16.2 million
meals impacted per year
7.9 million kg
greenhouse gas emissions reduced per year
187.4 million
gallons of water saved per year
11.4 million
decrease in animal demand annually by institutions
6,500
people trained annually
40+
organization members in the Plant-Based NGO Network
Make the Best Choice, the Easy Choice
Plant-Based by Default is a simple way to serve plant-rich food by default while preserving customers freedom to opt in for animal products. This simple shift reduces emissions, saves on food costs, and improves health of people and the planet.
Join Us
Apply for the DefaultVeg Internship Program
Universities and colleges around the world see the value in reimagining food systems. Students can help keep campuses—and the planet—cool.
The Latest
Comedy as a Climate Solution: On the Stand
Inside On the Stand, a comedian-lawyer mock trial putting Big Meat & Dairy on trial — and why comedy is a powerful storytelling tool for food systems change.
How Three UC Berkeley MBAs Made Plant-Based the Default
Here’s how they did it, what they learned, and how you can bring plant-based defaults and the PlantFutures program to your campus.
5 Takeaways from NACUFS Spring Conference LA
We met many food service leaders and presented a workshop on behavioral science for plant-forward dining to a packed room.
Donate
Just as we always eat in community, we also need our community to make this transformative work possible.
There’s a lot of large-scale change that we could achieve in any of the institutions where food is served. Nudges are more than just quiet and discreet. They’re actively changing people’s attitudes in a positive direction towards plant-based foods.
Jennifer Channin
Executive Director
Our Partners
