In addition to The Vegetarian Resource Group’s quarterly vegan magazine (Vegan Journal), VRG publishes a national email newsletter called VRG-News. Vegan news is so vast these days that we saw the need to publish more than can fit in our quarterly magazine.

Sign up for our national email newsletter here: https://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/index.php

photo from Freepik

If you are growing herbs this spring, you’re probably wondering already what to do with them. We have you covered. Here’s an article that previously ran in Vegan Journal that will give you many ideas. http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2013issue2/2013_issue2_cooking_with_fresh_herbs.php

Chef Nancy Berkoff offers general information on herbs and these vegan recipes:
Garlic-Parsley Spread
Lemongrass Rice
Whipped Minted Yogurt
Parsley-Cheddar Rice
Vegetable Dumpling Soup
Dill and Mustard Salad Dressing

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

Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl

Miss Shirley’s Café regularly offers several vegan dishes at their Roland Park and Inner Harbor locations in Baltimore City, as well as at their Annapolis, Maryland location. This month, in honor of Food Allergy Awareness Month, they are also serving a Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl. Visit https://www.missshirleys.com/uploads/files/menus/SPRING2026VEGANMENU.pdf to see their Spring/Summer 2026 vegan options.

by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Perhaps you work in food service in a restaurant, a hospital, a school cafeteria, a college or university, or elsewhere and you’d like to encourage your customers to choose more vegan dishes. Or, maybe you are a student or a consumer who would like to work with a food service establishment in your community to encourage them to develop and promote more vegan items. The non-profit World Resources Institute has developed a free 92-page resource, The Food Service Playbook for Promoting Sustainable Food Choices, which offers many helpful ideas for behavior change techniques to promote healthy, sustainable food choices. The resource is not vegan; its goal is to encourage diners to choose more plant-rich dishes and less meat when dining out. Many of its ideas can be used as is or adapted to promote vegan dishes.

The playbook includes 90 behavior change techniques that can be used to influence diners’ food choices. Of these, eighteen are identified as “priority” techniques; these have been shown to be effective and feasible. An additional 34 techniques are “promising” – they have also been shown to be effective but may have a lower impact or be less feasible to implement (1).

The “priority” techniques include:

• Improve the appearance of plant-rich dishes (e.g., arrangements, color, garnishes, balance)
• Increase the ratio of plant-rich to meat-rich dishes available
• Add environmental footprint labels to menus
• Use language on menus to selectively recommend plant-rich dishes (e.g., chef’s special, dish of the day)
• Train chefs and food preparation staff how to cook and prepare appealing plant-rich dishes
• Publicize the environmental benefits of plant-rich dishes using marketing materials (e.g., posters, social media, leaflets, table tents, or television screens)
• Run cross-product promotions (e.g. meal deals, set menus) on plant-rich dishes and selected drinks, side dishes, or desserts

These, and other ideas will make it more likely that consumers will choose the vegan items in preference to nonvegan dishes – a win for health, the environment, and the animals.

Reference

1. Pollicino D, Blondin S, Attwood S. The food service playbook for promoting sustainable food choices. World Resources Institute. https://www.wri.org/research/food-service-playbook-promoting-sustainable-food-choices. 2024.

To read more about vegan food service see:

Food Service Update

Promoting Plant-based Menu Items Using Environmental Messages

Sustainable Food Choices Lecture

Veganizing Your Food Service

photo from iStock

Vegans looking to boost their iron intake have lots of options. In a Vegan Journal article, you will find a list of some higher-iron vegan foods, all with more than 3 milligrams per serving, some of which may be surprising sources of iron.

Read the entire article here: 10 Ways to Boost Your Iron Intake

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only, visit: www.vrg.org/member

Barbecue Spaghetti Squash Sandwiches

Are you searching for some new ideas for vegan main dishes? We have you covered! In a recent issue of Vegan Journal Lauren Bernick shares her recipes for BBQ Spaghetti Squash Sandwiches, King Ranch Not-Chicken Casserole, The Whole Easy Enchilada, Veggie Stew and Mash Potatoes, Cauliflower Steak and Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Greens, and Tostadas.

Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2026issue1/2026_issue1_meatless_mainstays.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only, visit: www.vrg.org/member

photo from Dreamstate Cafe

The Vegetarian Resource Group maintains an online Guide to Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in the USA and Canada. Here are some recent vegan restaurant additions. The entire guide can be found here: www.vrg.org/restaurant

To support the updating of this online restaurant guide, please donate at: www.vrg.org/donate

Here are some new additions to VRG’s guide:

Arts & Crafts Beer Parlor, 1135 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY 10025

Arts & Crafts Beer Parlor describes the fare as “comfort food reimagined with completely plant based ingredients, and a focus on sustainability.” They list some gluten-free options too. Corn tortilla Taco choices include savory sweet Korean BBQ with green onions, hoisin crema, purple cabbage slaw or smoky Al Pastor with spiced jackfruit, roasted oyster mushrooms, chilis, and pineapple. Shawarma with House pollo, a warm spice blend, hummus, tzatziki, tomatoes, and pickled onions as well as Barbacoa with Chunk Steak pulled and slow cooked in herbed adobo sauce are flour tortillas. Some of their Sandwiches are Beer Bratwurst cooked in Cigar City brown ale, topped by spiced brown mustard, queso, and sauerkraut on a pretzel bun and seasoned Bacon Jam Burger with “house made” smoky bacon jam, caramelized onions, and vegan cheddar cheese on a brioche. Shareables include Nachos, Guacamole, and more. Crisped Fig and Arugula flatbread features warm vegan cheese, walnuts, black mission figs, and sautéed onions topped with arugula and balsamic glaze. You might treat yourself to Sigmund’s “handmade,” Brooklyn-inspired, toasted Bavarian Personal Pretzel with spicy brown mustard, or share the Über Pretzel which also has sauerkraut. On a sweet note, there’s the Churro Donut “Pretzel,” “hand-spun,” fried, sweet sourdough with cinnamon sugar and dulce de leche dipping sauce.

Dreamstate Café, 2558 Lyndale Ave. South, Minneapolis, MN 55405

Dreamstate Café offers creativity and variety throughout their abundant menu. Lunch and dinner selections are similar. Among many choices of Small Plates, there’s Yucca Fries with Mojo Verde and corn crema; Coffee Black Beans and Rice with potato threads jalapeño sour cream and cilantro; Sweet Potato Sopes with Cashew Chevre, curtido (cabbage relish), Chimichurri spice, and pepitas; King Oyster Mushroom in lime coconut broth, chili glaze basil oil, shiso leaf, and crisped rice noodles; and Delicata Squash Donuts with Vodka Tempura Black pepper-orange-tequila glaze. Handhelds include Maitake Tacos; seitan Corn Beef Sandwich featuring “House” Kraut, smoked Gouda, chili crisp aioli, and mustard on rye; Fried Chicken Sandwich serving up a “housemade” patty, lemongrass slaw, and pickled fennel on a brioche; and Pub Burger with beer cheese, bourbon aioli, onion on a Pretzel bun, to note a few options. Some Entrées are Lions Mane Steak with roasted corn sauté, black bean mole, radish, and avocado purée; oyster mushroom Scallop Linguini showcasing “House” pasta, Alfredo sauce, and almond cotija; and Mushroom Dashi (“House”) Ramen with crisped tofu, kimchi, soy caramel, fried peanuts, furikake, and cilantro. Saturdays and Sundays, Brunch has some items similar to those above, with some twists, but also different dishes like Curtido Benedict with sweet potato sopes, cashew chevre, Hollandaise, and cilantro; Sweet Potato Biscuits and (wild rice mushroom) Gravy, sausage, smoked Serrano agave, and scallion; a Weekend Poutine of “House” fries, wild rice mushroom gravy, sour cream, fried tofu mozzarella, and smoked paprika; as well as Waffle of the Moment, Yucca Hash, and more. They offer a wide array of inspired Cocktails and Mocktails as well as Coffee Drinks with intriguing blends of ingredients. There’s a daily Happy Hour, too.

Fry Baby Donuts, 69 Chenango St., Buffalo, NY 14213

To keep things interesting, Fry Baby Donuts aim to rotate their specialty menu every two weeks or so, while trying to keep popular items like Pain au Chocolate and Almond Bear Claws in constant rotation. Pastry lovers, besides yeast raised goodies like Ring Donuts, Filled Donuts, and Apple Fritters, they offer “vegan all butter” laminated pastries too. Donut flavors run the gamut from maple glazed to raspberry jalapeño, as just two of many examples. Additionally, they hope to offer savory pastries in the near future. Speaking of savory, they also have both Frozen and Hot (on certain days) Pizza—individual and large in Cheese Pepperoni, BBQ or Buffalo Chkn and other rotating varieties.

Jacq n Diane’s Juice Box, 3034 Grange Hall Rd., Holly, MI 48442

Jacq n Diane’s Juice Box wants you to “Get your healthy on.” They note that they prepare dishes that are”100% vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free… made from scratch using real, whole ingredients…,” with “…no-added sugars, artificial flavorings…”Believing… good music is nourishment for your soul…,” they also hope you’ll enjoy the music they have playing and the local artists’ work that graces their walls. As the name suggests, Jacq n Diane’s Juice Box offers a myriad of juices and smoothies. There are also Rockin Rice Bowls such as Teriyaki with Basmati rice, sautéed veggies, raw cashews, green onion, and “house made, oil free” Teriyaki Sauce. Some Sides are Broccoli Raisin Salad with red onion and sun flower seeds in a creamy cashew Dijon dressing, rotating “house-made” Soup, Super Slaw with cabbage, carrots, green onion, kale, and parsley in sunflower seed dressing, and Creamy Herb Potato Salad in a house-made cashew herb dressing with red onion and mustard. Loaded Nachos offers “organic” corn chips with house-made vegan chz, “fresh house mild salsa,” cashew sour cream, guacamole, and optionally walnut taco crumble. Sandwiches and Wraps include Mother Clucker with savory jackfruit “chick’n,” caramelized onion, tomato, greens, mustard, and “house-made” cashew ranch on toast. The Reuben features sauerkraut, cashew 1000 island dressing, cheese, and “corned” jackfruit on bread. One of their Organic Salads, Beet Salad combines greens with pecans, red onion, avocado, and your choice of dressing like Rosemary Balsamic. Dessert might be a slice of rotating seasonal Pie or Double Chocolate Pie made from cacao, and all “organic ingredients.”

Pucker Up Vegan Eatery, 307 Delannoy Ave., Cocoa, FL 32922

Offers plant-based bowls, sandwiches, burgers, and salads. Breakfast items include crispy chick’n on a buttermilk biscuit and eggs benedict with ham and hollandaise sauce on an English muffin. Deli sandwiches include the house-made turkey and tempeh bacon avocado melt and the bacon bleu with a quarter-pound chargrilled patty, tempeh bacon, bleu cheese, and peppercorn aioli. Sweets are also available including the pistachio cake with silky cream cheese frosting and the chocolate peanut butter cake.

The Tin Thistle Café, 1972 Sherman Ave., North Bend, OR 97459

The Tin Thistle Café is a Celtic-themed café serving vegan burgers, bowls, pasties, tacos, and more. The Village Burger is made of oats, walnuts, and spices and is served five ways including regular, fiesta, BBQ, Tuscan, and teriyaki. The Punjabi salad bowl includes red lentil dahl, brown rice, spicy cilantro chutney, and white sauce. Cauliflower tacos are made with roasted seasoned cauliflower, black beans, veggies, Sriracha aioli, and fiesta sauce.

Garlic Beans and Greens photo by Hannah Kaminsky

Who doesn’t love Italian food? An article in Vegan Journal includes Italian recipes from Donna Spencer. Enjoy preparing Italian Roasted Cauliflower, Tuscan Bread Soup, Pasta with Tomato-Pumpkin Sauce, Braised Lentils and Kale, Rustic Blueberry Crostata, and Garlic Beans and Greens.

Find all these vegan recipes here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2026issue1/2026_issue1_vegano_italiano.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only, visit: www.vrg.org/member

In 2026, The Vegetarian Resource Group will be awarding one $2,500 scholarship and three $1,000 scholarships to college students who have promote veganism in a positive way while attending college. This opportunity is ONLY OPEN to students who previously entered The Vegetarian Resource Group scholarship contest while seniors in high school.

To apply, email the following information to vrg@vrg.org

Include in the subject line: vegan college scholarship application

DEADLINE IS JULY 1, 2026!

Send:

1) Year you previously applied in high school:

2) Previous high school:

3) College you are currently attending:

4) Major:

5) Year you expect to graduate:

6) Email:

7) Phone number:

8) Address:

9) Contact information for three references who know about your vegan activism:

10) Details about your vegan activism:

11) Links to documentation and/or attachments:

12) What foods and restaurants you would recommend to a non-vegetarian:

13) Your future aspirations:

All entries become property of The Vegetarian Resource Group/Vegan Journal. We may excerpt or use in total information from the entries. Winners give permission to release their name to the media. We will email semifinalists in the summer. Winners will be announced on our Instagram, Facebook, and website.

If you send a Google document, make sure permission is given so readers can access it.

Though this contest is different, here are past winners from the high school entrants. https://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm  We know the previous high school entrants  did a lot of work back then, and are happy for donors giving you another chance. You can also let younger siblings and acquaintances know about the VRG scholarships for high school seniors. Deadline is February 20 of each year.

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group outreach, donate at www.vrg.org/donate

Vegan Journal, The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203

(410) 366-8343

https://www.vrg.org/

photo from Freepik

by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

A friend recently asked me for some ideas for getting more calcium in her diet. Among the foods I suggested, was tofu, with the caveat that she should check product labels to find a product that had at least 100 milligrams of calcium per serving. To put that into perspective, 100 milligrams of calcium is 10% of the RDA for calcium for adults age 19-50 years and men 51-70 years and 8% of the RDA for women over 51 years and for men over 70 is 1200.

I started wondering how easy it would be to find tofu with at least 100 milligrams of calcium in a 3-ounce serving. After spending time on product websites, I was pleased to see that tofu with that much or more calcium should be widely available.

Here’s what I found, listed from highest to lowest calcium in a serving:

Products with 200 milligrams or more of calcium per 3-ounce serving:

• O Organics (Albertsons) Extra Firm Tofu, Cubed 250 milligrams
• Hodo Organic Extra Firm tofu 200 milligrams

Products with 150-199 milligrams of calcium per 3-ounce serving:

• 365 (Whole Foods) Pressed Extra Firm Tofu 170 milligrams
• Kirkland Signature (Costco) Organic Extra Firm Tofu 160 milligrams
• Franklin Farms Soft Tofu 150 milligrams
• House Food Organic Super Firm Tofu, vacuum-packed 150 milligrams

Products with 100-149 milligrams of calcium per 3-ounce serving:

• SoyBoy Organic Extra Firm Tofu 130 milligrams
• Wo Chong Organic Firm Tofu 121 milligrams
• Nature’s Promise Organic Extra Firm Tofu 120 milligrams
• Nature’s Promise Organic Firm Tofu 120 milligrams
• O Organics (Albertsons) Extra Firm Tofu 120 milligrams
• O Organics (Albertsons) Firm Tofu 120 milligrams
• Simple Truth (Kroger) Organic Extra Firm Tofu 120 milligrams
• Simple Truth (Kroger) Organic Firm Tofu 120 milligrams
• SoyBoy Organic Firm Tofu 115 milligrams
• Franklin Farms Extra Firm Tofu or Organic Extra Firm Tofu 110 milligrams
• GreenWise (Publix) Organic Firm Tofu 110 milligrams
• O Organics (Albertsons) Super Firm Tofu 110 milligrams
• Sprouts Firm Tofu 110 milligrams
• 365 (Whole Foods) Organic Firm Tofu 110 milligrams
• Azumaya Extra Firm Tofu 100 milligrams
• Azumaya Firm Tofu 100 milligrams
• Franklin Farms Firm Tofu or Organic Firm Tofu 100 milligrams
• Earth Grown (Aldi) Extra Firm Organic Tofu 100 milligrams
• Good & Gather (Target) Organic Extra Firm Tofu 100 milligrams
• House Foods Organic Firm Tofu 100 milligrams
• House Foods Organic Extra Firm Tofu 100 milligrams
• House Foods Organic Super Firm Tofu 100 milligrams
• House Foods Organic Cubed Super Firm Tofu 100 milligrams
• House Foods DHA Omega-3 Extra Firm Tofu 100 milligrams
• Nasoya Organic Extra Firm Tofu 100 milligrams
• Nasoya Organic Firm Tofu 100 milligrams
• Sprouts Extra Firm Tofu or Organic Extra Firm Tofu 100 milligrams
• Sprouts Organic Firm Tofu 100 milligrams
• Trader Joe’s Organic Firm Tofu 100 milligrams
• Trader Joe’s Organic Sprouted Tofu 100 milligrams
• Wegman’s Organic Firm Tofu 100 milligrams

Products with 50-99 milligrams of calcium per 3-ounce serving:

• Nasoya High Protein Super Firm Tofu 90 milligrams
• Sprouts Organic High Protein Super Firm Tofu 90 milligrams
• Wildwood Organic High Protein Super Firm Tofu 90 milligrams
• Wo Chong Firm Tofu 84 milligrams
• Wo Chong Extra Firm Tofu 82 milligrams
• House Foods Organic Medium Firm Tofu 80 milligrams
• O Organics (Albertsons) Silken Tofu 80 milligrams
• Trader Joe’s Organic Tofu 80 milligrams
• Wildwood Organic Extra Firm Tofu 80 milligrams
• Wildwood Organic Firm Tofu 80 milligrams
• Woodstock Organic Firm Tofu 80 milligrams
• 365 (Whole Foods) Organic Extra Firm Tofu 80 milligrams
• GreenWise (Publix) Organic Silken Tofu 76 milligrams
• Wegman’s Organic Extra Firm Tofu 75 milligrams
• Good & Gather (Target) Organic Super Firm Tofu 70 milligrams
• Simple Truth (Kroger) Organic Soft Silken Tofu 70 milligrams
• 365 (Whole Foods) Organic Silken Tofu 70 milligrams
• Azumaya Silken Tofu 60 milligrams
• GreenWise (Publix) Organic Extra Firm Tofu 60 milligrams
• Nasoya Organic Cubed Tofu Extra Firm 60 milligrams
• Nasoya Organic Silken Tofu 60 milligrams
• Sprouts Organic Silken Tofu 60 milligrams
• Trader Joe’s High Protein Organic Super Firm Tofu 60 milligrams
• Wegman’s Organic Super Firm Tofu 60 milligrams
• Wildwood Organic Silken Tofu 60 milligrams

Products with less than 50 milligrams of calcium per 3-ounce serving:

• Wo Chong Organic Soft Tofu 49 milligrams
• Wo Chong Silken Tofu 45 milligrams
• House Foods Organic Soft Tofu 40 milligrams
• Mori Nu Shelf Stable Silken Extra Firm Tofu 40 milligrams
• Wo Chong Soft Tofu 40 milligrams
• Woodstock Organic Extra Firm Tofu 40 milligrams
• Mori Nu Shelf Stable Silken Soft Tofu 30 milligrams
• Mori Nu Shelf Stable Silken Firm Tofu 30 milligrams
• Mori Nu Shelf Stable Silken Organic Tofu 30 milligrams
• Mori Nu Shelf Stable Silken Nigari Firm Tofu 20 milligrams
• Mori Nu Shelf Stable Silken Super Soft Tofu 20 milligrams
• Mori Nu Shelf Stable Silken Asian Dessert Tofu 20 milligrams

If you’re trying to boost the calcium in your diet, choosing a higher-calcium tofu could help. Availability, cost, the amount of other nutrients, and the texture of tofu that you want will also affect your decision.

If your favorite tofu isn’t on the list and the package doesn’t say how many milligrams of calcium are in the product, you can calculate it yourself. Calcium content will be listed on the Nutrition Facts label as percent of the Daily Value. Since the current Daily Value for calcium is 1,000 milligrams, multiply the percent Daily Value by 10 to get the amount of calcium (in milligrams) in one serving. For example, tofu with 10% Daily Value for calcium would have 100 milligrams of calcium in one serving.

Calcium is added to tofu as a part of the process of making tofu from soymilk. A coagulating agent is added to the soymilk so that it thickens and forms curds. This is similar to the way that dairy cheese is produced from cow’s milk. There are a number of coagulating agents including calcium sulfate, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and glucono delta-lactone. If calcium sulfate or calcium chloride is used to make tofu, the tofu will have more calcium in it than if other coagulating agents are used. Soybeans also contain some calcium; thus, the soymilk used to make tofu will also provide some calcium. The variability in calcium in tofu is due to factors including the amount of the calcium salt used as a coagulant, the calcium content of the soymilk used to make the tofu, and the moisture content of the tofu.

To read more about tofu see:

Magnesium Chloride and Nigari are Vegan

Terrific Tofu

To read more about calcium for vegans see:

Calcium in the Vegan Diet

Latin American Foods High in Calcium

Calcium Content of Popular Indian Vegetarian Dishes and Ingredients

Calcium Supplements

Lower Risk of Hip Fractures in Vegan Women Using Calcium and Vitamin D Supplements

The contents of this website and our other publications, including The Vegan Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.