Whether you have vegan kids or know vegan kids, you might want to direct them to the fun games below. Enjoy!

Veggie Memory Cards: https://www.vrg.org/family/memory_cards.php
Veggie Counting Game: https://www.vrg.org/family/memory_cards_math_game1.php
Coloring Book: https://www.vrg.org/family/Penny-Pigs-Vegan-Adventures-Coloring-Book.pdf
Computer Veggie Game: https://www.vrg.org/game/

Through December 31, 2018, you can give a gift membership to The Vegetarian Resource Group (includes a 1-year subscription to Vegetarian Journal) for $15 each (40% discount). This offer is valid in the USA only!

This is a terrific way to share the vegan message, as well as support VRG. Gift subscriptions can be done online by simply typing in your message and the address(s) of the gift recipient(s) in the comments field. Go to: https://www.givedirect.org/donate/?cid=1565

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Someone noticed that Silk Soymilk listed Vitamin A Palmitate as one of its ingredients and contacted The Vegetarian Resource Group wanting to know if this ingredient could be animal-derived. According to VRG’s ingredient guide, palmitic acid which is used to produce vitamin A palmitate can be derived from soy oil although it also can be animal-derived. See: https://www.vrg.org/ingredients/index.php#palmitic_acid.

Silk has this statement on their website:
“Our almondmilk, soymilk, coconutmilk, cashewmilk, blends, creamer products and yogurt alternatives are completely vegan! There are no animal products, by-products or derivatives in these products, and the calcium we use in these products is derived from natural limestone. All other vitamins and live cultures used to fortify these products are vegetable-based.” See: https://silk.com/faqs

According to Silk, their products are vegan and the vitamin A is not animal-derived.

The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public on vegetarianism and the interrelated issues of health, nutrition, ecology, ethics, and world hunger. In addition to publishing the Vegetarian Journal, VRG produces books, pamphlets, and article reprints. Our health professionals, activists, and educators work with businesses and individuals to bring about healthy changes in schools, workplaces, and the community. Registered dietitians and physicians aid in the development of nutrition-related publications and answer questions about the vegetarian and vegan diet. Financial support comes primarily from memberships, contributions, and book sales.

We welcome the opportunity to comment on Use of the Names of Dairy Foods in Labeling Plant-Based Products. Many of our members follow a vegan diet and do not eat any animal products. They choose to follow this diet for a variety of reasons including health, ecological, and religious concerns, dislike of meat, compassion for animals, belief in non-violence, and economics. Other members of our organization may avoid dairy products due to health issues such as milk allergy or lactose intolerance. Members of our organization commonly use plant-based products (milks, cheeses, yogurts) in place of animal-based products. The plant-based products are used to add variety, to enable users to prepare foods similar to those made with animal-based products, and, in some instances, to supply nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and protein.

Our understanding of dairy terms like milk, yogurt, and cheese when they are used to label plant-based products is that these products are plant-based alternatives to animal-based products. In many, although not all cases, plant-based products can be used in food preparation and will behave similarly to animal-based products. For example, plant-based cheese may be used to top pizza; plant-based milk used to make a cream soup. Just as different dairy milks and cheeses have different tastes, characteristics, and uses, so do plant-based milks. For instance, chocolate milk, even though it’s labeled as milk, would not be used to make a savory dish. Similarly, replacing Cheddar cheese with ricotta cheese in macaroni and cheese would result in a very different product. Despite these differences, these products are all identified as milk or cheese. Considering the wide variety of animal-based products identified as milk, cheese, or yogurt, it does not seem incongruous to also identify plant-based products as milk, cheese, or yogurt with a modifier identifying the main plant ingredient (e.g. soy milk, cashew cheese, almond milk yogurt).

The Nutrition Facts and ingredient list on food labels along with front of label information allows consumers to evaluate the nutritional characteristics of plant-based products. Our website, and those of other vegan organizations, encourage consumers to seek out plant-based products that are fortified with nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 if they rely on these products as a source of these nutrients. Consumers are aware that there are nutritional differences between plant-based and animal-based products. We note that terms such as coconut milk and peanut butter have been used for many years without confusion as to their plant origins or to these products’ nutritional differences from cow’s milk or dairy butter.

We believe that prohibiting plant-food labels from including words like milk, cheese, and yogurt in the name of these products would lead to consumer confusion. We urge you to permit the labeling of plant-based products with names that include milk, cheese, and yogurt.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this issue.

Please note: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is announcing its intention to extend by 60 days the comment period on the request for information on labeling plant-based products with names that include the names of dairy foods, such as “milk,” “yogurt,” and “cheese.” The original comment period was scheduled to end on November 27.

Photo from Vege-Way

The Vegetarian Resource Group maintains an online Guide to Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in the USA and Canada. Below are some recent 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:

Chile de Arbol
6305 Paredes Line Rd.
Brownsville, TX 78526
Found in the Broken Sprocket Food Truck Park, Chile de Arbol serves up authentic Mexican fare in a vegan modern way. The food truck offers two types of tacos either vistec, a vegan version of bistec, or tacos al pastor. If you’re not craving tacos, they also have burgers and curry bowls.

Kanu Café
10803 Jasper Ave. NW
Edmonton, AB T5J 5G9 Canada
Appetizers and entrees include a wide range of both raw and cooked dishes such as Avocado Toast, Truffled Beet Slider, Butternut Squash Nachos, Chopped Kale Salad, and Heirloom Tomato and Zucchini Lasagna. They also serve cold pressed juices and smoothies, as well as a robust selection of wine, signature cocktails, and Canadian craft beer. Dinner reservations are encouraged.

Mo’Pweeze Bakery
32 Broadway
Denville, NJ 07834
Mo’Pweeze bakes delicious treats including cupcakes, cakes, and bread that also happen to be free of the top 8 main allergens as well as vegan. According to the business they are always dairy, egg, nut, gluten, and soy free, and now certified kosher as well!

Southern Sol Garden BBQ
2895 McFarlane Rd.
Miami, FL 33133
Southern Sol Garden BBQ features a variety of completely vegan barbecue fare. Check out fun options like Tempeh Ribs, Jalapeno Corn Bread, and Baked Mac and Cheese. Several items can be combine into a wrap. Gluten free options available. The restaurant also offers kid-friendly seating at smaller tables.

Trio Plant-Based
610 W. Lake St.
Minneapolis, MN 55408
Enjoy items such as Lebanese Bean Salad, Tomato Soup, Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Soul Food Platter, and Peach Cobbler. Look for expanded hours in the future.

Vegan Deli & Desserts by Chunkie Dunkies
1880 W. 10th St., Bldg. 106
Riviera Beach, FL 33404
Originally a desserts only company, Chunkie Dunkies recently decided to expand into a restaurant. Savory soul food including hot and cold sandwiches and healthy desserts that are good for both you and the planet.

Vege-Way
7790 S. Jones Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89139
Milkshakes, fries, burgers, oh my! Vege-Way has crafted vegan versions of beloved fast-food classics. Their menu features a variety of burgers, chicken and beef sandwiches, curly fries, and popcorn chicken. They even deliver this deliciousness right to you. Don’t forget a vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry vegan shake!

Vegginini’s Paradise Café
15439 Mack Ave.
Detroit, MI 48224
Offers a satisfying range of down-home vegan fare, from spaghetti and meatlessballs and vegan BBQ chicken to vegan mac and cheese, fried cauliflower, and more. This small, family-run restaurant also has student discounts and weekly specials!

Recent discussion topics include:
What are you serving for Thanksgiving?
What will you hand out for the trick-or-treaters this year and how will you handle the non-vegan candy your children get in their Halloween buckets?
Vegan Halloween event in New Jersey and Maryland
Are there any vegan educators & school teachers here?
How do you empower your child to embrace the vegan lifestyle?
Plus more!

VRG’s Parents and Kids Facebook Group is intended to be a group that offers support for families raising children on vegan diets and for vegan kids. 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.

If you’re ever searching for vegan baked goods to bring to your office or child’s classroom, or simply to eat at home, try Abe’s Muffins. We’ve seen the twelve-pack option available at Whole Foods in several flavors including blueberry, Lemon Poppy, and Chocolate Chip. They also offer seasonal options such as Pumpkin and Apple Cider. Both adults and children will love these!

For more information on where you can purchase these muffins, visit:
https://www.abesmuffins.com/

Go to:
https://www.igive.com/welcome/lp15/wr35.cfm?c=57804&tm_campaign=membernewmemberpromo181101

Foodservice distributor Sysco has announced the launch of Sysco Simply http://www.syscofoodie.com/simply/, a platform designed to offer their foodservice customers vegan, vegetarian, and other plant based products. They say there are over 1,000 products on the platform. If you are a foodservice, or a consumer of an institution that uses Sysco, let us know at [email protected] how this is working for you.

According to Fidelity Investments, if you are age 70½ or older, IRS rules require you to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) each year from your tax-deferred retirement accounts. This additional taxable income may push you into a higher tax bracket and may also reduce your eligibility for certain tax credits and deductions. To eliminate or reduce the impact of RMD income, charitably inclined investors may want to consider making a qualified charitable distribution. A qualified charitable distribution is a direct transfer of funds from an IRA custodian, payable to a qualified charity, such as The Vegetarian Resource Group. Up to $100,000 in charitable contributions made this way can be excluded from taxable income. With passage of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015, the QCD provision is now a permanent part of the Internal Revenue Code. This means you can plan your charitable giving and begin reviewing your tax situation earlier each year. The contribution must be made directly from the IRA custodian to the charity, so speak with the institution where your IRA is held, concerning the proper forms and the proper deadlines. This is not personal tax or legal advice. Speak to your tax and legal advisor for specific information for your situation.