By Callie Showalter, VRG Intern

All across the United States and Canada, you can find food trucks selling vegan and vegetarian food. Whether it’s tacos, falafel, injera, or fried chicken, there’s a food truck for it. They’re becoming increasingly popular due to their versatility and accessibility. Because the vegan population of the U.S. is fairly small compared to the meat-eating population, would-be restaurant owners are sometimes hesitant to open a fully-fledged all-vegan restaurant. But food trucks are the perfect solution—they’re more affordable; both for the restaurant owner, and for the customers.

     The very nature of a food truck allows it to travel—which means you can find food trucks at parks, bars, farmers markets, concerts, and other special events. These are all public spaces, attended by people of all lifestyles and diets. Vegan food trucks being located in these spaces increases the accessibility of veg-friendly food for those who are not vegan. And it may even prove to many people that vegan food can be cheap and delicious! Many vegan food trucks also travel to areas that have very little access to fresh, nutritious foods—such as “food deserts.” The trucks selling their food in these communities can help increase accessibility to vegan food for those who would not normally have it.  

     A popular vegan food truck in my city resides at a different brewery each day out of the week, all in different parts of town. With the truck being located in so many different kinds of spaces, it exposes typical meat-eaters to vegan and vegetarian foods that they wouldn’t have otherwise tried. The truck— Sage Against the Machine in Bellingham, WA— serves a wide range of affordable, tasty vegan meals. They offer comfort foods made vegan, like chili dogs and vegan mac n’ cheese. Offering meat-eaters vegan versions of these foods that they enjoy is a great way to expose them to vegan food and prove that it doesn’t have to be expensive or hard-to-find.

     Part of the marketing strategies of food trucks like Sage Against the Machine is to offer merchandise such as shirts or stickers. People using the merchandise spread the word throughout the city about vegan food. They also offer punch cards, where you buy ten meals and get one free. So, even people who aren’t vegan will return to the food truck continuously so that they’ll get their reward! Food trucks oftentimes display colorful, artistic exteriors to catch people’s eyes. Having distinct logos and colors allows food trucks to become easily recognizable, and become established as well-known eateries in their communities.

     Do you have a food truck in your city that offers vegan or vegetarian food? Tell friends and family about it, or post positive reviews on social media. Also, contact the truck to let them know about upcoming local events—including concerts, marathons, farmers markets, or art shows. That way, the truck can offer its services to the event and they can serve food there! Or, if you’re planning an event, invite the food truck to attend! I invited two vegan food trucks in my city to an environmental and art event I was planning. Tons of meat-eating people got to experience yummy vegan food that day!

     Unlike a traditional restaurant, people may happen upon a food truck by chance rather than purposefully seek it out. This is why food trucks are the future of popularizing the vegan and vegetarian lifestyle. While a meat-eater may never choose to get dinner at a sit-down vegan bistro, they may find themselves at a concert where the food truck serves vegetarian food! These trucks work hard to market their food towards all kinds of people—and we should continue to support them in our communities if we have them. If you don’t have a food truck in your area that serves vegan or vegetarian food, try to seek them out while you are traveling!

For information about other places in the USA and Canada to eat vegan when eating out, see https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

Be sure to follow The Vegetarian Resource Group on Instagram: @vegetarianresourcegroup

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

When it’s hot outside, and maybe even hotter inside, the soups and hearty casseroles we crave in cooler weather don’t sound appealing. Besides, no one wants to have the oven heating up their kitchen or to spend time over a hot stove on a steamy summer day! Some of these dishes can be prepared in the morning when it’s cooler and some don’t require cooking.

Hummus or other bean spreads

1. Dip cut up vegetables, crisp fruits, and crackers or tortilla chips in homemade or purchased hummus

2. Roll hummus and chopped vegetables in a whole-grain tortilla

3. Spread white bean dip on sliced baguettes and top with strips of roasted red pepper

4. Warm corn tortillas in a skillet and top with pinto bean spread, salsa, chopped tomatoes, and shredded lettuce

5. Top a microwaved potato or sweet potato with a bean spread. Try a garlicky hummus on a white potato or roasted red pepper hummus on a sweet potato.

Sandwiches – serve with fresh fruit and a side salad

6. Tofu salad with sliced tomatoes in a pita pocket

7. Not-tuna salad (made with chickpeas, vegan mayo, chopped celery, and spices to taste) on toasted rye bread

8. Marinated tofu with sprouts or lettuce, shredded carrots, and peanut sauce in a wrap. Marinated tofu and peanut sauce can be purchased or homemade

9. Sliced bagel with nut butter and sliced fruit (try nectarines, peaches, or other fruit in season)

10. Vegan deli slices on a sub roll with vinaigrette dressing, tomatoes, and lettuce

Salads – make ahead and chill until dinner; can serve with a fruit salad and bread

11. Potato salad with black beans, corn, and a salsa dressing

12. Pasta salad with chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and Italian dressing

13. Spaghetti with a soy-sesame dressing tossed with cubes of baked tofu and steamed (or microwaved) broccoli

14. Rice salad with adzuki beans, diced carrots and cucumbers, and a sweet chili sauce

15. Peanut noodles with water chestnuts and red pepper strips

16. Taboulleh (bulgur with parsley, scallions, mint, tomatoes, and cucumbers in a lemon-olive oil dressing) with chickpeas

17. Three bean salad

18. Shredded cabbage in a soy-sesame dressing with baked tofu or seitan strips

19. Quinoa and bean salad with shredded kale and a cumin-lime vinaigrette

20. Chef salad with strips of vegan deli slices and cubed or grated vegan “cheese”

Miscellaneous

21. Veggie sushi – homemade or purchased

22. Smoothie made with plant milk, silken tofu, fresh and/or frozen fruit; can add nut butter and leafy greens for a meal in a glass

23. Vegan yogurt with berries and chopped nuts on a toaster waffle

24. Gazpacho garnished with croutons, chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, and avocado slices

25. Rice paper wrappers filled with rice noodles, shredded Napa cabbage, baked tofu, cubed mango, and chopped peanuts

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Finland, a country in northern Europe, has done something that few other countries have – issued nutritional guidance for vegans. The Finnish Food Authority, which issued this guidance, is a government entity under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. According to its website, the Finnish Food Authority “works for the good of humans, animals and plants, supports the vitality of the agricultural sector, and develops and maintains information systems.”

The Finnish Food Authority recommends that a vegan diet “contains cereal products, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruit, berries and vegetable fats as well as a nutritious milk replacement drink.” A vegan plate is described as consisting of one third foods supplying protein including whole grains and legumes, one third raw and cooked vegetables, and one third additional carbohydrates such as pasta, potatoes, or barley. Supplements of vitamin D, vitamin B12, and iodine are recommended. A “carefully composed” vegan diet can be used by pregnant and breastfeeding women, children and teens.

These guidelines are complemented by a section in Eating Together,  the national food recommendations for families with young children. This section provides additional information about vegan diets in pregnancy and lactation and for infants and young children. According to this text, vegan infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first 4-6 months with breastfeeding continuing at least until age 1 year. After 1 year, the recommendations call for use of a drink made from soy, oats, quinoa, or other grains (excluding rice) that is fortified with calcium and vitamin D and designed for young children. Vegan families shall be provided with guidance by a nutritional therapist and children’s growth should be monitored.

These sensible guidelines should be adopted, with modifications for country-specific foods, by other countries, including the United States.

References

Finnish Food Authority. Vegan diet. https://www.ruokavirasto.fi/en/themes/healthy-diet/nutrition-and-food-recommendations/vegan-diet/. Last updated April 2019.

National Institute for Health and Welfare in Finland. Eating Together – Food Recommendations for Families with Children. https://www.julkari.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/137770/URN_ISBN_978-952-343-264-2.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y. 2019.

By Julia Comino, VRG Intern

As a low-income plant-based teenager, I am always on the lookout for delicious vegan dishes that won’t break the bank. Thus, I tasked myself with finding out the favorite low-price vegan foods of my fellow interns.

Lucia Rivera, a current intern at The VRG from California, has been vegetarian for ten years and vegan for one. Like me, some of her favorite cheap vegan foods are beans. Beans are a nutritious staple that can be the base of a meal or added as a side to any dish. No matter if you buy beans dry in bulk or canned, they are an inexpensive and nutritious food to stock up on. Lucia also offered some advice for finding low-cost vegan groceries, “Choosing certain places to shop can be helpful. For example, a grocery store like Grocery Outlet often offers the same vegan meat substitutes for a lot cheaper than a store like Sprouts or Whole Foods does.” I have found this to be true as some of my go-to items, vegan pasta, soups, frozen vegetables, and even cans of beans, are cheapest at stores like Dollar General or Family Dollar.

Callie Showalter, a current intern from Washington who has been vegetarian for nine years and vegan for four, and Rachel Eldering, a dietetic intern from Virginia and vegetarian of six years, are also fans of beans. Callie’s favorite inexpensive go-to vegan dish is Spanish beans and rice, and Rachel dishes out rice, beans, and vegetable dinners.

When it comes to finding cheap vegan snacks, I recommend thinking about what snacks you already eat that happen to be vegan. Callie Showalter snacks on carrots and hummus, popcorn, and apples with peanut butter. Lucia Rivera goes for a classic, peanut butter and jelly. Ksheetisha Bhat, an intern from Michigan and a vegetarian since birth, loves snacks such as vegan fruit gummies or chips with salsa. And I’m a fan of nuts, dried fruit, and granola. When you stop looking for foods labeled as vegan, and start looking for plant-based foods you already love you will find that you already know of a lot of cheap vegan food options.

I hope that hearing some of the low-cost vegan favorites of The VRG interns ensures you that so matter your financial situation, there are vegan foods that can fit your budget.

For information on other low-cost vegan foods and menus, see: https://www.vrg.org/nutrition/#nutrition-meal-plans https://www.vrg.org/blog/2011/09/21/i%E2%80%99d-like-to-be-vegan-but-i%E2%80%99ve-heard-it%E2%80%99s-expensive-is-this-true/

The contents of this posting, our website, and our other publications, including Vegetarian 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.

Recent topics brought up include:

– Virtual Event for Veggie Teens featuring Reed Mangels, PhD, RD from The Vegetarian Resource Group and sponsored by the San Jose, CA public library system.

– Impossible Foods, the maker of the Impossible Burger, recently announced that they have obtained Child Nutrition labels for Impossible Burger products. What does this mean?

– Find out more about Vegan Camp opportunities while space may still be available in limited weeks this summer. [email protected]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/VRGparentsandkids is intended to be a group that offers support for families raising children on vegan diets and for vegan kids around the world. We envision it as a place to get advice about a wide-variety of topics: pregnancy, birthday parties, school lunches, Halloween, non-leather apparel, cruelty-free products, summer camps, and more. Please use it as a place to share your wisdom, seek advice, or just find a sympathetic ear. The goal is to offer support.

Consequently, any profane, defamatory, offensive, or violent language will be removed. Feel free to disagree, but do so respectfully. Hateful or discriminatory comments regarding race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or political beliefs will not be tolerated. We expect that posts should relate to vegan diets and lifestyles. The Vegetarian Resource Group reserves the right to monitor all content and ban any user who posts in violation of the above rules, any law or regulation, SPAM, or anything otherwise off topic.

Please share this information with any veggie families that you know! Thanks.

By Hannah Etman and Rachel Eldering, University of Maryland Dietetic Interns (Written during a rotation at The Vegetarian Resource Group)

Residential programs are a great option for people to find the support they need, get back on their feet, and even take classes to enhance practical skills. Christopher Place, an employment academy for men experiencing homelessness in Baltimore, Maryland, provides education, training, and recovery support for these men. The men commit to a minimum of six months in the program with the goal of gaining the skills and financial stability necessary to be successful after their stay. Christopher Place aims to aid the transition from homelessness, substance abuse, or dependency to finding employment and living a stable life. The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) member Marcy Schveibinz is privileged to teach 8-week sessions to the men at Christopher Place on various topics under the general umbrella of vegan eating. These classes help build knowledge and practical skills surrounding food.

     While completing our dietetic internship rotation with VRG, we had the opportunity to gain perspective on those who worked with Christopher Place. We spoke to two VRG interns, Adhi and Julia, as well as Marcy, a VRG volunteer, who has been leading the classes. Each one of them had valuable points to share when talking about their experiences with Christopher Place.  

     At Christopher Place, Marcy leads a structured classroom program in 8-week sessions, focused on vegan eating, where VRG interns also have the ability to create their own presentations for the classes. This class was originally created through a donation. The donation came from a vegan man who requested the money be used to teach about vegan eating. To gain more insight into these classes, we interviewed Adhi, Julia, and Marcy.

     Marcy is a certified wellness coach through the Mayo Clinic. She has been teaching the class for about three years. There are different groups of men each time, making it a varied experience for her—with the class being very engaged sometimes, and less so other times. Regardless, Marcy says that it is always an eye-opening experience for the men. As you can imagine, the class structure has changed significantly due to Covid-19. Prior to the pandemic, Marcy would go to the classroom with a portable burner and ingredients for the dish she was to cook that day. She provided cooking demos incorporating education and discussion, then a taste test. Since the pandemic, the class has moved online and is largely discussion-based. With the men, she discusses their eating habits, assesses their food-related knowledge, and facilitates conversations surrounding food. Marcy’s intent for the class is to have the attendees realize that vegan cooking does not have to be difficult and can taste great. She wants the men to feel confident and well-versed in their food choices. Other topics that Marcy likes to cover in class include basic nutrition, diet and disease, glycemic index, benefits of eating vegan, and more. Now, Marcy is cleared to start teaching some classes in-person again. For her current session, the first 6 classes will be virtual and the last 2 will be in-person where they will get to do cooking demos. On her overall takeaway from this experience, Marcy says, “I feel grateful for the opportunity to be able to meet and get to know these men.” She takes pride in being able to collaborate with and educate these men about food choices while empowering them.

     We also interviewed VRG intern Adhi (A Cornell nutrition student) on her experience teaching at Christopher Place. Adhi says that Marcy gives the interns freedom when allowing them to teach. For the first session Adhi got to choose her topic that she wanted to teach on, then she made a presentation and practiced it with Marcy. After each session, they continue to refine the presentations together. Adhi’s chosen topics were legumes, health benefits, and recipes. In total, Adhi will have taught five classes once the 8-week session is over. Adhi described her valuable experience learning from Marcy—she was able to observe classes, getting to see the tools that Marcy uses such as videos and interactive discussions. On her favorite aspect of teaching at Christopher Place, Adhi says that when she presents on new topics, she feels a sense of awe in the room as the men take in this information. Their excitement over her topics, especially the recipes, has excited her and she feels that she can see the men slowly become more open-minded and amenable to changes with food.

     VRG intern Julia has also had a positive experience thus far working with Christopher Place. She says she has come to feel comfortable and confident talking to the men and sharing her knowledge of food. Since January, she has taught four classes on the topic of vegan eating on a budget. Julia told us that working with Marcy has been valuable, as she is kind, communicative and helpful. We asked Julia if she had any advice for working in a capacity similar to Christopher Place and she recommended engaging participants by asking them questions and to keep the conversation casual, rather than rehearsed. Based on her experience, she said that the men have been talkative, fun, and that they ask great questions.

     For Marcy, Adhi, and Julia, teaching classes at Christopher Place has been a rewarding and engaging experience. From what we learned during the interviews, it seems that the men also benefit greatly from being able to attend these classes. Empowering others to make their own choices about food, while also expanding their knowledge and conceptions surrounding food, is crucial to keep people well-informed and excited. We are grateful that we were given the opportunity to gather more perspective on this unique aspect of VRG through interviews.

For more information about Vegetarian Resource Group internships, see

https://www.vrg.org/student/index.php

To support VRG internships, donate at www.vrg.org/donate

Or join VRG at https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

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: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

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 (Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic many are doing take-out and/or delivery now):

Black Squirrel Bake Shop, Madison, WI 53715

Black Squirrel Bake Shop offers fully vegan cakes and cupcakes made with primarily local and sustainable pedicures. Flavors range from classic and mocha to cherry almond and lemon raspberry plus much more. You must pre-order baked goods and pick them up.

Bori Vegan, 1 Calle Arbolote, Guaynabo, PR 00969

At Bori Vegan you can find a variety of healthy vegan options based on Latin cuisine, including tostadas, tacos, stuffed avocados, and much more. They also offer many smoothie options and a poke bar. Their walls are adorned with bright colored paint and a motto “We aren’t a business, we’re a movement.”

Coconut Whisk Café, 511 W. 25th St., Minneapolis, MN 55402

Everything is vegan, gluten-free, and peanut-free. They offer “reimagined pancakes, waffles, and Boba” (bubble tea). Also sells vegan and gluten-free baking mixes: cakes, pancakes, and cookies!

Conscious Creamery, The Gelateria, 3400 Broadway, Sacramento, CA 95817

Situated in a shipping container style building in the trendy Oak Park neighborhood, Conscious Creamery gelateria specializes in handcrafting vegan ice cream.  They offer creamy gelato style vegan ice cream by the pint, in cones, or in ice cream bars, sundaes, and shakes, and even a vanilla fudge gelato taco.  Although they have a few regularly recurring flavors, their menu constantly rotates, as they always offer several small batches of new flavors, based on seasonally available local produce. Apart from the ingredients available locally, they source cocoa, vanilla etc. organic and fair-trade wherever possible and avoid artificial fillers, artificial stabilizers, artificial flavors and artificial colors, as well as animal products, soy, and gluten; their gelato is based around cashews and vegan sugar or maple syrup, with nuts, seeds, and fruits added for flavorings. They also extend their environmentally friendly ethos to their biodegradable cups and spoons, and cases for catering that require no electricity or gas generators.

Dank Street, 1808 Monroe Ave. NW, Ste. B, Grand Rapids, MI 49505

Vegan and gluten-free, farm to street food. Rotating weekly menu inspired by seasonal harvests. For example, current menu includes: Ya Mama’s Bowl-soulful curly kale greens, garlic-herb butter beans and candied yams; The Meg Dank Taco-An XL Spin-herb GF flour tortilla with ago spread filled with healthy portion of roasted parsnip topped with chipotle aioli, serrano pepper and cilantro. Mouth-watering sides available.

Good Choice Kitchen Café, 147 Main St., Ossining, NY 10562

Good Choice Kitchen Café is a vegan café and a cutlery center with a variety of options for eating and learning. They provide private weekly meal plans, cooking classes, and wellness events. They serve breakfast items, soups, savory bowls, wraps, juices, smoothies, and more. Examples of items they have are Vegetable Tikki Masala (seasonal vegetables and lentils in spicy tomato-coconut sauce, your choice of grain: polenta, basmati brown rice, quinoa-millet), Almond Pudding (chia, almond butter, almond milk, maple syrup, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, additional topping), and Fruit Crépe (blueberry or apple cinnamon). They are located near the Hudson river and Croton bay.

Grains, 2201 Adams Ave., San Diego, CA 92116

Grains is a restaurant where East meets West in many fusion dishes. There are a variety of options from drinks, appetizers, salads, to main courses. Some examples of appetizers are Tokyo Fries (crispy fries topped with crunch tempura flakes, wasabi cream, sweet soy, sesame seeds, and seaweed), Dragon Balls (crisp and chewy sesame balls filled with red bean paste), and Buffalo Cauliflower (served with vegan ranch, fresh carrots, celery). Some examples of main courses are Tom Kah Soup (Coconut broth + lime juice + lemongrass + galangal + tofu + mushrooms + carrots + onions + cherry tomatoes + kaffir lime leaves + scallion + cilantro served with Jasmine wild rice) and Philly Cheese Sandwich (Mushrooms + bell peppers + caramelized onions + vegan cheese). They are located in the pocket neighborhood of University Heights in San Diego.

Subculture, 227 Lark St., Albany, NY 12210

Subculture’s menu is inspired by American comfort foods. The menu features a variety of sandwiches and burgers including a Reuben with pastrami-style seitan, jackfruit tuna salad, and the Philly cheesesteak made with marinated seitan and cheddar wiz. Buffalo and barbeque wings are available on their own and as part of a wing burger.

Vegan Street Kitchen and Lounge, 1111 7 St. SW, Calgary, AB T2R 1A1 and 1413 9 Ave. SE, Calgary, AB T2G OT4 Canada

Vegan Street offers a range of Latin fusion and vegan comfort food. Menu favorites include Street fries, no-fish chips, Nashville chickin’ sandwich, deluxe nachos, no-fish asada mushroom tacos, and more!

Wicked BOLD Vegan Kitchen, 3347 Long Prairie Rd., Flower Mound, TX 75028

Wicked BOLD Vegan Kitchen is taking snacking to another level with their plant-based charcuterie. Indulge in their array of vegan cheeses, guacamole, and salsa. If you are looking for a meal then try out one of their sammies like The Italian made with fresh vegan pastrami, pepperoni, and mozzarella drizzled with delicious oil and spices. Make sure to order some of the specialty desserts chocolates from the Wicked BOLD Spicy Chocolate to their Chocolate Fondue Board.

Jasmine Leilani Westerdahl (a 2016 VRG Scholarship winner) received her Master of Science Degree and the LLU President’s Award as the outstanding student graduate at the LLU School of Allied Health Professions at the 12:37-13:28 minute portion of this video of the entire graduation ceremony. You can watch Jasmine receive her degree and award by going to that part of the video: https://vimeo.com/558645609

To see Jasmine’s high school work for her VRG college scholarship, see:
https://www.vrg.org/blog/2016/06/30/california-student-wins-5000-vegetarian-resource-group-scholarship/

For information about The Vegetarian Resource Group college scholarships, go to: https://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

In the latest issue of Vegetarian Journal we have a review of Cybele’s Free-to-Eat Pasta, which comes in eight varieties such as red lentil, beet, sweet potato, and carrot rotini, as well as green lentil, kale, broccoli, and spinach penne. One serving of these noodles provides 23 grams of plant-based protein. The pasta is available in Kroger, Ralphs, and Walmart. For more information see: www.cybelesfreetoeat.com

To subscribe to Vegetarian Journal in the USA, see: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php