Miyokos cheese wheels board

by Debra Wasserman

One of my many hats at The Vegetarian Resource Group is Managing Director of Vegan Journal. In that role, I often scan through different types of publications to see what the general population is thinking. For example, I read a Hindu magazine, a Kosher magazine, and food sections in various newspapers. Recently I was glancing through the spring edition of Deli Business magazine and was delighted to read the publisher’s message titled “An Explosive 2025.”

Ken Whitacre states, “The three areas of innovation will be in prepared foods, plant-based items and vegetarian/vegan alternatives … Innovation is changing the makeup of many products. Plant-based foods are gaining traction. It’s important for buyers to recognize that plant-based and vegetarian or vegan are very different.”

He then goes on to say, “Plant-based means common items are not produced with the use of animal products. As an example, plant-based cheeses are growing in popularity. The early examples were mainly a failure, featuring an overwhelming flavor of chemicals and plastic, and the texture was even worse. Even more distasteful were vegan meats.”

Whitacre then adds, “However, plant-based cheese and dairy products have gotten very good. No, they do not taste like dairy-based cheese, and some people debate whether they should be called “cheese,” but the quality is high, and they are very tasty. They should be included in every cheese department. Additionally, plant-based meats are increasingly becoming popular, although the location maybe in the frozen food aisle.”

All this is being stated in a magazine that generally is focusing their promotion on standard deli department items such as cold-cuts and sliced dairy cheese. In fact, this editorial was published in the same mailing that included an entire separate insert featuring varieties of dairy-based cheese. Whitacre also urged deli managers to consider adding healthy vegan-stye salads not using tons of added mayonnaise, etc. Consumer demand certainly continues to evolve!

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Currently the requirements for public schools in the United States to provide a substitute for cow’s milk for non-disability reasons (such as a vegan diet) include a fluid milk substitute meets specified nutrition standards, the milk substitute is requested in writing by a medical authority or the child’s parent or legal guardian, and the school must cover any expenses that exceed program reimbursements.

Recently, the bipartisan Freedom in School Cafeterias and Lunches (FISCAL) Act (S.1236), was introduced in the Senate by Sens. John Fetterman (D-PA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and John Kennedy (R-LA). This bill , would make it easier for schools to serve plant-based milks that are nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. The bill was introduced in the House (H.R. 2539 FISCAL Act) by Reps. Nancy Mace (R-SC), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), and John Mannion (D-NY) and was referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

To read more about school meals see:

USDA Issues Revisions to Child Nutrition Programs

Getting Vegan Food into Schools

Vegan Options in a California School

Vegan Options in Portland, ME School Lunch

New York City School Lunch Program Features “Vegan Fridays”

School Food Lunch

Tempeh in School Meals

The Internal Revenue Service states that individual retirement arrangement (IRA) owners age 70½ or over can transfer up to $100,000 to charity (such as The Vegetarian Resource Group) tax-free each year. These transfers, known as qualified charitable distributions or QCDs, offer eligible older Americans a way to give to charity. For those who are at least 73 years old, QCDs count toward the IRA owner’s required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year. You need to have your IRA trustee send the money to the charity directly, and not to you first. You do not need to itemize your taxes for this benefit. For more information, see https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/qualified-charitable-distributions-allow-eligible-ira-owners-up-to-100000-in-tax-free-gifts-to-charity

This is not legal or tax advice, for which you should speak to your financial and legal advisors.

To make direct donations to VRG and support vegan education and research, donate at www.vrg.org/donate

Eggplant photo from Freepik

Here are some eggplant ideas from Chef Nancy Berkoff…

• Roast an eggplant whole, in the oven or on the grill, until soft enough to mash with a fork. Scoop out pulp and add oil and vinegar, garlic, and black pepper to use as a dip or salad dressing. This dish is sometimes called “eggplant caviar.”
• For homemade baba ghanoush, purée roasted eggplant and mix with garlic, tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice, chopped parsley, and olive oil. Use it as a dip for vegetables or as a sandwich filling.
• Mix diced, grilled eggplant with grilled peppers, lentils, onions, and garlic. Serve cold, topped with balsamic vinaigrette, or hot, atop grains, pasta, or pizza.
• Skip-the-Frying Baked Eggplant: Peel eggplant and cut into ½-inch slices. Create a breading with your favorite crumbs (bread, cornmeal, etc.) and dried Italian herbs (garlic powder, oregano, parsley, red pepper flakes, etc.). Spray eggplant slices with vegetable oil, coat with breading, place on non-stick pan, and bake until soft. Layer baked eggplant into a deep baking dish, alternating layers with thick tomato sauce; drained, diced, canned tomatoes; sliced mushrooms (if desired); and either shredded vegan cheese or thinly sliced extra-firm tofu. Cover and bake until bubbly.
• Mini Japanese or Thai eggplant stuffed with a mixture of diced smoked tofu, tempeh, or veggie crumbles; pine nuts; and roasted peppers. Wrap in foil and bake.
• Make Eggplant Frisbees: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place slices of unpeeled eggplant (about ½-inch thick) individually on a non-stick baking sheet. Sprinkle with grated vegan cheese, minced onions, sunflower seeds, and nutritional yeast. Bake until bubbly and the eggplant is slightly soft. The Frisbees may also be used as eggplant burgers served on a hearty roll with fixins.

Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2021issue4/2021_issue4_cooking_tips.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only by visiting https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Share this handy poster with family and friends. You can also print it out and post it on your refrigerator. See: https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/VeganDietsinaNutshellPoster.pdf

photo from Matt & Nat

Warmer weather has arrived in many parts of the world and you may need a new pair of vegan sandals. Here are online shops selling a wide variety of vegan sandals from various countries:

USA

Bhava Studio: American company offering women’s sandals.

https://bhavastudio.com/collections/sandals

Matt & Natt: American company selling women’s sandals. Shipped to several countries.

https://us.mattandnat.com/collections/sandals

Mooshoes: American company selling women’s and men’s sandals.

https://www.mooshoes.com/collections/womens-sandals

https://www.mooshoes.com/collections/mens-sandals

Okabashi: American company selling sandals for women and men.

https://www.okabashi.com/collections/womens-sandals

https://www.okabashi.com/collections/mens-sandals

Third Oak: American company offering women’s sandals.

https://explorethirdoak.com/collections/sandals

Vegan Chic: American company selling women’s and men’s sandals.

https://www.veganchic.com/women/vegan+sandals/search.aspx

https://www.veganchic.com/men/vegan+sandals/search.aspx

Europe

BioWorld: Company from Spain that offers women’s sandals.

https://www.bioveganos.com/c182148-sandalias-de-mujer.html

Freerangers: British company selling women’s and men’s sandals.

https://www.freerangers.co.uk/ladies-sandals

https://www.freerangers.co.uk/mens-sandals

Green Laces: Swedish shop offering men’s and women’s sandals.

https://greenlaces.se/produkt-kategori/shop/shop-skor/shop-herr-skor/shop-herr-skor-sandaler/

https://greenlaces.se/produkt-kategori/shop/shop-skor/shop-dam-skor/shop-dam-skor-sandaler/

Vegetarian Shoes: British company selling women’s sandals.

https://www.vegetarian-shoes.co.uk/womens/womens_sandals/10153_0c.html

Canada

Native Shoes: Canadian company selling sandals for women and children.

https://www.nativeshoes.com/womens/sandals

https://www.nativeshoes.com/girls/sandals

https://www.nativeshoes.com/boys/sandals

Australia

Holster Australia: Australian company offering sandals for women. Will ship to USA.

https://www.holsterfashion.com/collections/sandals

Nothing beats a simple graphic to get the vegan message out! The Vegetarian Resource Group created My Vegan Plate to display on outreach tables at various events. If you live in the United States, you can request copies of this handout to distribute by emailing us at vrg@vrg.org

You can view the handout here: https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/MyVeganPlate.pdf

This same handout can also be read in Spanish here: https://www.vrg.org/images/miplatovegano.jpg

We also have a version you can print out for kids to color on: https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/MyVeganPlateCP.pdf

Donations towards this outreach are always appreciated: www.vrg.org/donate

Debra Daniels-Zeller provides information on selecting and preparing fresh pea dishes including Braised Pea Shoots, Pea Shoots and Quinoa, Minted Sugar Snap Peas and Leeks, English Pea Guacamole, Sesame-Ginger Snow Peas, Snow Pea Slaw with Red Peppers, Mac and Peas, and Penne Pasta, Sugar Snap Peas, and Tomatoes. Enjoy!

The entire article can be read here: A Passion for Peas

To subscribe to Vegan Journal, visit: http://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

photo from Ten Little Shoes

The following online stores offer vegan baby and toddler shoes.

Clamfeet: Offers adorable baby shoes and matching shoes for mothers. They have an eco-canvas exterior, organic cotton lining, and rubberized grip sole. They are washable. https://clamfeet.com/

Happy Little Soles: This UK company offers a vegan section of shoes for boys and girls. They ship to the US. https://www.happylittlesoles.co.uk/

Ten Little Shoes: Offers vegan shoes for kids. https://tenlittle.com/

Tom’s: Sells vegan shoes for children worldwide. Search under the word vegan. https://www.toms.com/us/kids/shoes

Vegan Chic: Offers a few options for children including The Kid’s Ramos by Keep. https://www.veganchic.com/kids/vegan+shoes/search.aspx

Photo by Alina Matveyche

by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Although airports are more likely to indicate which food establishments have “vegetarian/vegan” options, my experience is that many places don’t have much in the way of vegan options other than beverages or maybe a bag of nuts. If you have an unexpectedly long layover or a canceled flight, you can make do but, all too often, choices are limited, and prices are high. That’s why I usually bring my own food. My criteria for plane and airport food include:

• Not messy.
• Little chance of leakage. I don’t want anything that could seep out of a sealed container into my carry-on bag.
• Meets TSA regulations.
• No strong smells out of kindness for my seatmates.
• Does not need to be kept cold or warm. Also, no food safety concerns.

Here are some foods I bring for the plane:

• Bananas
• Apples
• Resealable bags of nuts
• Trail mix or granola
• Bagels
• Nut butter and jelly in a tortilla – this doesn’t seem to get as soggy as a PB and J sandwich
• Carrot sticks
• Dried fruit – dried mango is a treat
• Vegan jerky
• Energy bars or granola bars

Nothing terribly exciting but it’s enough to get me from one coast to the other without hunger pangs.

Here are some more ideas for food to bring to the airport and on the plane: Budget-Friendly Airport Tips for the Conscious Vegan Traveler

Here are some ideas for finding vegan food in U.S. airports