By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Currently, the National School Lunch Act does not require schools participating in the federal National School Lunch Program to provide a non-dairy substitute for dairy milk unless the child has a disability (documented by a licensed physician) that restricts the student’s diet. Schools can choose to provide a non-dairy substitute if the student’s parent or legal guardian or a medical authority provides a written statement that identifies the medical or other special dietary need for a non-dairy substitute. Unless the student has a specific disability, documented by a licensed physician, that requires avoidance of cow’s milk, the school is not required to provide a replacement beverage.

Representative Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA) has introduced H.R. 1539 (see: https://www.congress.gov/118/bills/hr1539/BILLS-118hr1539ih.pdf) which would amend the National School Lunch Act to require schools to provide fluid milk substitutes upon the request of a student or the parent or guardian. The fluid milk substitute would need to meet nutritional standards so that its composition was similar to dairy milk. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce in March 2023.

To read more about school meals see:

School Lunch and Milk Substitutes

The Vegetarian Resource Group Testimony Submitted to USDA on Proposed Revisions to Child Nutrition Programs (including school lunch)

Getting Vegan Food into Schools

Vegan Options in a California School

Vegan Options in Portland, ME School Lunch

Tempeh in School Meals

By Jazz Miles, VRG Intern

As I walked into NuVegan Cafe in Richmond, Virginia, I was quickly met by the array of images of the many esteemed individuals who had visited the restaurant. It was great to see photos of rappers Drake, Common, and actor Anthony Anderson.

With those individuals in mind, I had very high expectations. I was not disappointed. On the inside, there were several signs hanging on the walls. One sign contained a mission statement, “We’re committed to providing exceptional and nutritious meal options to everyone including vegans and non-vegans.” Another sign contained positive words such as: soulful, consciousness, quality, growth, and creativity. There were also plants adorning each window in the restaurant.

I was met with a very diverse menu with a huge quantity of vegan options to choose from. They have fried foods, raw dishes, greens, sandwiches, a juice bar, and even baked goods on their menu!

An array of entrées and sides were presented in a cafeteria-style buffet and served by NuVegan’s staff. Television screens behind the buffet display the many selections NuVegan has to offer.

I ordered the vegan mac and cheese, the ginger spiced tofu, and the vegan chick’n drummies. My favorite of the three was the vegan chick’n drummies. They are crispy, flakey, and perfectly seasoned. I coupled it with their signature barbecue sauce, and it was absolutely delicious. The mac and cheese was creamy. The flavor was not overpowering, but subtle. It was a good compliment to the ginger spiced tofu, which was sweet and had a little bit of a kick to it.

Overall, my experience was overwhelmingly positive. I would recommend NuVegan to anyone in the Richmond area. They also have locations in D.C. and Maryland.

More information on NuVegan can be found here: https://www.ilovenuvegan.com/

For info on other veg restaurants in the USA and Canada, go to https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.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

Tempeh photo from Adobe Stock

Chef Nancy Berkoff serves up several vegan tempeh recipes in a previous Journal article published by The Vegetarian Resource Group. Try preparing Breakfast Tempeh, Tempeh Sausage, Tempeh Noodle Soup, Grilled Tempeh Salad with Peas and Pineapple, Tempeh in a Roll, and Tempeh on Toast.

The complete article with recipes can be read here:
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2016issue1/2016_issue1_cooking_tempeh.php

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

VRG volunteer Laura McGuiness traveled to London, England and enjoyed many vegan dining experiences.

She enjoyed Madhatters Tea (vegan) at Sanderson Hotel London and dined on Humble Crumble at Spitalfields Market, which consisted of a Rhubarb and Strawberry fruit topping, vegan shortbread crumble, and topped with hot vanilla vegan custard and rose petals. Finally, at Honest Burgers she sampled their Plant burger with vegan bacon added.

photo from Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant

The Vegetarian Resource Group will host a networking dinner in Denver, Colorado, during the annual FNCE meeting of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Within one mile of the Colorado Convention Center. The public is invited. Participants from Denver and places from around the country will have a chance to share veg related activities they have coordinated.

RIO GRANDE MEXICAN RESTAURANT BUFFET:

Chips and Salsa

Guacamole

Black Beans

Portabella and Squash

Grilled Peppers and Onions

Plain Rice

Pico de Gallo

Selection of Salsas

Flour Tortillas

Soft Drinks, Coffee, Tea

PLEASE RESERVE IN ADVANCE. SEATING IS LIMITED

$30 for The Vegetarian Resource Group and Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group members. $35 for nonmembers. Includes tax and tip.

Please prepay at vrg.org/donate. Write in the comments section names of participants and that it is for the Denver dinner. Or call (410) 366-8343, or mail payment to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

It’s tomato season in America and you might be looking for some quick-and-easy vegan recipes featuring tomatoes. Try these:

Sautéed Collard Greens and Tomatoes (by Debra Wasserman)

(Serves 4)

1 teaspoon oil

1 pound collards, chopped

2 ripe tomatoes, chopped

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon mustard powder

Sauté all ingredients together over medium-high heat for 7 minutes. Serve warm.

Broiled Herbed Tomatoes (from Simply Vegan)

(Serves 3)

3 tomatoes, cut in half

1 Tablespoon vegan margarine

1 teaspoon dried basil

2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast

Dash of salt and pepper

Place margarine, basil, yeast, salt, and pepper on top of tomatoes. Broil for 4 minutes, until tops are slightly brown.

 Tomato Sauce (Sugo di pomodoro fresco from Vegans Know How to Party)

(Serves 4)

This is an uncooked tomato sauce, great for fresh tomatoes that are ripe or overly ripe. This sauce is not meant to sit, as it is most flavorful freshly prepared and served. This sauce will not freeze well, so make just enough to top al dente pastas, rice, or steamed greens.

1-1/2 pounds (about 4 cups) peeled, seeded, and chopped fresh tomatoes

3 chopped green onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a glass or plastic bowl (not metal). Spoon over hot pasta and serve immediately.

Black Betty Arepa photo from Que Ricas

Que Ricas in Haddon Township, New Jersey, offers Venezuelan food with plenty of clearly marked vegan options. We sampled their delicious Harvest empanadas filled with sweet potatoes, black beans, and kale, as well as their Apple empanadas. Also, we tried two varieties of arepas: the Black Betty (home-made black bean burger, with sweet plantains, and guacamole) and the Dario (falafel, hummus, sweet cabbage slaw, and Pico de Gallo).

Que Ricas is located at 46 A Haddon Ave, Haddon Township, NJ 08108. They are open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. For more info., see: https://www.que-ricas.com/

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

photo from Thrive Tribe Café

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:

Apothica Café, 3 Dexter St, Cumberland, RI 02864

Beverages play a starring role here. Flavors are “made in house, from scratch.” Besides hot chocolate, they serve locally roasted coffee in classic drinks, at least 16 specialty lattes at last count including:  Peanut Butter Maple and Cardamom Vanilla. When you visit Apothica, you can find out for yourself about their Hot Donna and Sacred 7. These are all in addition to a myriad of imaginative Moon Milks/Tea Lattes like Blue Lotus Lavender with Butterfly Pea Flower, Ashwagandha and more. You just might meet your Matcha with several wonderful flavors like Lavender, Rose, and Dragon fruit. Maybe a flash of inspiration will strike you as you sip their Lightning Bolt Lemonade or Elderberry Hibiscus—another of many possibilities, all fresh squeezed. Breakfast offers Bagels with vegan spreads, weekly rotating baked goods, a Burrito, as well as sandwiches and wraps with eggs and cheese, some veggie fixings, hot sauces or garlic herb spreads. Lunch brings a Mexican-inspired Wrap, a burger and a couple of Mac N Cheese varieties served with a cashew sauce. Their Apothica at Night menu serves up house-made basil-enriched, Penne alla Vodka, and they’ve reinvented the Pot Pie with a veggie version of edamame, carrot, potatoes, asparagus and a house-made biscuit. Enchanted by rosemary, lavender, gin, mescal, and maple, you might get happily Lost in the Woods of their vast Cocktail/Mocktail selections which include both Fig and Espresso Martinis, as well as a host of herb and fruit infused rum, gin and liquor blends. Is it one of those mornings? How about a Breakfast Cocktail, like Iced Coffee Spiked with black walnut vodka, or a rum, cinnamon, sweet almond Horchata? Maybe a Classic Mimosa or one of their more exotic flavors like Passionfruit would do the trick? Don’t forget Dessert: Gluten Free Fruit tart with vanilla custard, Crème Brulee or Warm Chocolate Cake drizzled with mocha for even more pizazz.

Dale and Dollips, 69 Main Ave, Ocean Grove, NJ 07756

Located a few blocks from the Atlantic Ocean, enjoy vegan comfort food in a diner with a 50s vibe. You can order wraps, sandwiches, salads, and more along with smoothies, sundaes, and vegan soft serve! This is a kid-friendly spot.

Matcha Thomas, 179 Main St., Beacon, New York 12508

A fast-casual, wellness teahouse offering purposefully crafted matcha (powdered green tea) lattes, seasonally inspired boba (bubble tea) drinks, and occasional classic treats. As a mindful and calming alternative to a typical coffee shop, Matcha Thomas underscores the value of thoughtfully executed menu items that are vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free. Their matcha is a cornerstone of their lineup and is high quality. Be sure to try the hojicha Thomas, milk & matcha, or milk + matcha boba. Expect the smoothest matcha blended with decadently creamy plant milk, accompanied with superbly chewy and slightly sweet tapioca pearls if you choose the boba drink. The teahouse itself is a sensuous delight, with Japanese and Scandinavian-influenced interior design elements, scents of rose and jasmine, and a forest scene projected on the wall in the shop’s lounge featuring nature sounds. Moreover, the business is family-owned and veteran-owned.

Melange Eatery, Main Street Market Bldg. (Basement), 406 E. Main St., Medford, OR 97501

Melange serves organic items as much as possible. They even grow some of their own produce. To name a couple of the “Small Plates” available, there’s veggie sushi varied by a myriad of sauces such as caramelized ginger peanut sauce, ponzu, cashew and sriracha, as well as pan seared “Scallops” with oyster mushrooms, fermented Chinese black bean, ginger aioli and cilantro cream. Some main dishes offered include A La King Encroute–Wild mushrooms, garbanzos and peas in a white sauce on puff pastry, Spinach Mushroom Crépes made of buckwheat in a roasted pepper cashew sauce, a variety of Bowls, a Deconstructed Lasagna of garlic roasted vegetables, almond ricotta and other ingredients. Besides “Rawsome” choices like their Burger or Spaghetti, they offer a Taco with a walnut carrot cumin filling, Salads and a Caesar Wedge–portobello “anchovy” with cashew parmesan on romaine. For dessert, they offer a version of cinnamon twist they highly endorse called Barefoot Twist. There’s also vanilla, berry or chocolate Raw Cheezcake, Raw Brownie and Coconut Tapioca. Check their deli case for additional possibilities.

Moss Vegan, 539 Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11225

Breakfast items include ckn’ n’ waffles with deep fried oyster mushrooms and a variety of fried pies. Lunch specials such as jerk chicken made with jackfruit or ginger chkn’ are served with rice, beans, and soup. Other main dishes are also available including a mini vegan fish sub, mac & cheese pie, and drumsticks with a choice of house-made sauce.

The Vegan Pantry, 34 Ross St., Barrie, ON L4N 1E9 Canada

Focusing on the “underserved” vegan, The Vegan Pantry offers a menu that is not only vegan but also gluten-free and refined sugar-free. Some might consider those qualities restricting, but, rest assured, this is one bountiful pantry. The bakery items steal the spotlight, with selections such as the Ah Caramel (a rich brownie topped not only with vanilla frosting and house made caramel sauce but also then dipped in vegan milk chocolate) and the Hello Dolly Bar (with a graham cracker crust and loaded with toasted coconut, pecans, and “oodles” of melted chocolate chips). But if you’re looking for something savory, they also offer vegan cheese; grab’n go items such as the buffalo jackfruit dip or their omelet mix made with chickpea flour; freezer meals that include the 6-pack of Cheezy Mozza Sticks, breaded with a mix of gluten-free breadcrumbs and herbs; and ready-to-eat pizza. If you are in party-planning mode, wow your guests and save yourself the stress by ordering from their selection of party platters, followed by a scrumptious party cake, like the carrot cake or the vanilla sponge cake with strawberry frosting.

Thrive Tribe Café, 60 Maple Ave., Barrington, RI 02806

The founders of Thrive Tribe Café are united by a love of coffee and a commitment to well-being. Starting with the coffee, you can choose from options such as a Dirty Vanilla Chai Latte or a Cappuccino–or if tea is more your beverage, there are iced and hot options, including a Matcha Tea Latte made with maple syrup and oat milk. And music to every vegan’s ears: three types of milk appear on the menu—almond, oat (regular and dark chocolate), and soy. In addition to crepes and arepas, they offer acai bowls, sandwiches, and toasts, as well as baked goods including donuts. In the spirit of healing and alignment, you may opt for the Chakra Acai Bowl, which is gluten-free and made with peanut butter plus a wide variety of fruit including pineapple and blueberries, topped with granola, goji berries, and chocolate chips. Or you may want to conquer the day by starting it off with The Boss Boss crepe—made with cinnamon almond butter, blueberries, maple syrup, granola, and powdered sugar.