Notes from the VRG Scientific Department
VRG IN THE NEWS
Vegetarian Resource Group Nutrition Advisor Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, was interviewed for a story in CosmoGIRL!, a fashion and lifestyle magazine that reaches 1.4 million 13- to 23-year-olds each month, on the topic of vegetarian teens. She was also interviewed for stories on the Food Guide Pyramid, vegetarian diets for teens, flexitarians, and the health benefits of a vegetarian diet for Today’s Dietitian. Furthermore, Reed was interviewed for a story in the Staten Island Advance about teenage vegetarians. VRG Nutrition Advisor Suzanne Havala Hobbs, DrPH, MS, RD, was interviewed by the Detroit Free Press for a story about the vitamin B12 needs of vegans.
VRG OUTREACH
VRG’s Food Service Advisor Nancy Berkoff, RD, EdD, CCE, presented 8-hour culinary education workshops at each of the American Culinary Federation’s regional conferences (Kona, HI; Toronto, Canada; Savannah, GA; and Minneapolis, MN) over a five-week period. She spoke on how to incorporate vegetarian topics into nutrition and culinary arts classes. Also, as part of the American Culinary Federation’s school accreditation program, Nancy served as a member of the accreditation team that visited the Weimar Culinary Institute, a vegan, Seventh-day Adventist culinary arts program in Northern California. Weimar is the first vegan culinary institute to apply for American Culinary Federation accreditation. Finally, Nancy presented a 6-hour seminar at the annual all-agencies conference held by the Second Harvest Los Angeles County Food Bank. Topics included healthy (vegetarian) menus for children, (vegetarian) holiday meal preparation, and label-reading for healthy food preparation and safe food handling.
