In January, Chipotle announced that they planned to test the menu item at selected locations in the San Francisco Bay Area in February. From the press release:

“Sofritas, shredded tofu braised with chipotle chilis, roasted poblanos and a blend of aromatic spices, is made with organic, non-GMO tofu from Oakland’s Hodo Soy. Chipotle expects Sofritas to appeal to vegetarian and vegan customers….”

For more information, see: http://ir.chipotle.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=194775&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1778960&highlight=

Cafe Rio opened in 1997 in six Utah locations. Currently, there are fifty-seven locations in ten states: Arizona, California, Montana, Wyoming. Nevada, Colorado, Idaho, and Utah in the West and in Maryland and Virginia on the East Coast. A list of locations may be found at http://www.caferio.com/locations.

The VRG spoke with Aubrie in the Support Center at Cafe Rio. She told us that neither the black beans, the pinto beans nor the rice contain any animal flavors or broths. None of their bread products were made with L-cysteine as a dough conditioner. The guacamole does not contain gelatin. A soybean-based shortening is used in the kitchen where vegetarian and vegan menu items are prepared separately from meat products.

Aubrie told us that Cafe Rio’s purchasing director is a vegetarian and so is aware of many of the ingredient concerns of vegetarians and vegans. She has developed lists (previously available online) of all menu items that are vegetarian or vegan and is currently updating them. In mid-March 2013, Aubrie said that “the [updated] vegan and vegetarian information should be available on our website shortly.”

The update was needed because of a recent ingredient change. Aubrie informed The VRG that

…there was a change made recently with the margarine that is used in our California, Maryland, and Virginia locations. Previously the margarine was dairy-free, but with the change made the new margarine does contain dairy…If you are looking for vegan or animal-free products in the California, Maryland, and Virginia markets here is a list of items that are safe:

• black beans
• pinto beans
• flour tortillas
• corn tortillas
• corn chips
• corn strips for salads
• tostada shells
• guacamole
• Pico de Gallo sauce
• Salsa Fresca
• romaine lettuce

To clarify the margarine change, we asked Aubrie if Cafe Rio restaurants in other states use margarine containing dairy. She replied by stating that “all of our other markets do not use dairy-free margarine and we do not anticipate that any changes will be made in the near future.”

On its website, Cafe Rio states that all of its food is “fresh and made daily. There aren’t any microwaves or freezers in any of our locations. Nothing is premade. We don’t have mechanized processed food.” Readers interested in learning more about Cafe Rio may visit its website: http://www.caferio.com/

The contents of this article, our website, and our other publications, including The 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 employees or company statements. Information does change and mistakes are always possible. Please use your own best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. Further research or confirmation may be warranted.

For the latest news on fast food and quick service chains, visit The VRG at http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

To purchase our Guide to Food Ingredients, please visit our website: http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=8

An online reader commented on our website that a P.F. Chang’s employee had told her that ghee was an ingredient in all of their vegetarian dishes except the steamed vegetables and rice. Ghee is clarified butter that is commonly used in South Asian cuisine. Since this was contradictory to what P.F. Chang’s told us in 2011, we contacted P.F. Chang’s to see if there had been an ingredient change.

The Director of Media Relations at P.F. Chang’s told us in October 2012 that “P.F. Chang’s only uses wok oil and not ghee.”

Similarly, P.F. Chang’s Marketing Coordinator replied by saying:

“I talked to our training department and…our Director of Culinary Operations about your inquiry. I was informed we do not use ghee in any of our dishes and it’s not something in any of our recipes nor is it kept in our restaurants.
Regarding the wok oil and wondering if it could contain animal- or dairy-derived flavors or be processed on equipment where residual animal or dairy ingredients could have been in contact with the wok oil, the Marketing Coordinator at P.F. Chang’s told us in February 2013 that
[o]ur wok oil is a soy-based oil. It is considered a safe oil for persons allergic…to soy as it contains no soy protein. We have never asked the supplier about animal contamination. We would expect it not to be an issue. We are looking into this further for you.”

A week later he informed us after hearing from his supplier that “No animal oil is processed in the plants that make our wok oil.”

More information about the vegetarian menu options at P.F. Chang’s is on their website: http://www.pfchangs.com/menu/

Other recent VRG articles about P.F. Chang’s:
http://www.vrg.org/blog/2012/09/07/p-f-chang%E2%80%99s-vegetarian-labeled-dishes-oyster-sauce-is-all-vegetable-no-honey-egg-or-dairy-present/
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2011issue1/2011_issue1_pf_changs.php

The contents of this article, our website, and our other publications, including the 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 employees or company statements. Information does change and mistakes are always possible. Please use your own best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. Further research or confirmation may be warranted.

For the latest news on fast food and quick service chains, visit The VRG at http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

In recent months, national convenience store chain 7-Eleven® has introduced a “healthy, fresh” line of foods intended to appeal to health-conscious consumers. It is intended to go beyond the fresh fruit (such as bananas) that the some 7-Eleven® stores have offered for many years to include healthier snack and meal packs.

The VRG contacted 7-Eleven® in February 2013 for a list of the vegetarian and vegan options in their fresh food line. We received this reply:

Vegetarian-Friendly Foods at 7-Eleven Stores

These products should be available at the 7-Eleven Inc. stores that have our
daily-delivered, fresh-foods program, which is about 95% of our U.S. stores.

Bistro Protein Snack Pack – celery and carrot sticks, grapes, cubed cheese,
hummus and little, soft pita bread rounds. The cheese is from Sargento® with
vegetarian rennet.
Celery and carrot sticks with a separately packaged portion pack of ranch
dressing (milk and cheese)
Yoplait® yogurt parfaits with only fresh (not frozen) strawberries, and
strawberry + blueberries
Macaroni salad
Potato salad
Several varieties and sizes of bean and cheese burritos
1-oz. size of string cheese, 2-oz. size bar of Borden’s® yellow cheese
Hard-boiled eggs with packaged salt and pepper
A side salad with no meat

We also offer many types of juice drinks and beverages.

The VRG asked 7-Eleven® if it were possible to purchase a bean burrito without cheese. We were told that “For manufactured (previously frozen) fast food burritos, [o]ur burritos contain meat or meat and beans. The vegetarian-friendly option is our freshly-made, delivered daily burrito option “Bean & Cheese,” always together. There is no vegan option.” (The cheese is not in a side cup that can be left off; the cheese is mixed with the beans inside of the flour tortilla.)

Regarding the salsa available at stores, we learned from 7-Eleven® that “The Heinz® salsa and Del Monte® pico de gallo that 7-Eleven® recommends its stores use are vegan friendly – all veggies. These are in a condiment station where customers can help themselves.”

Lastly, 7-Eleven® told us that “We continue to look at new food items that can meet our guests’ snack and meal needs.” Consumers interested in seeing 7-Eleven® expand its fresh food line to include vegan options are encouraged to contact the chain directly through the 7-Eleven® website: http://corp.7-eleven.com/ContactUs/tabid/184/Default.aspx

Readers may find out more about 7-Eleven® healthier snack and meal options here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/25/business/7-eleven-stores-focus-on-healthier-food-options.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1356707700-8H1rDprhmmuaiIzAzaMI/Q&

The contents of this article, our website, and our other publications, including the 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 employees or company statements. Information does change and mistakes are always possible. Please use your own best judgement about whether a product is suitable for you. Further research or confirmation may be warranted.

For the latest news on fast food and quick service chains, visit: http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

In 1971, Togo’s began serving made-to-order sandwiches in California. The chain grew quickly and began offering soups and salads in the 80s. In 2007, Togo’s debuted wraps and in 2010, toasted sandwiches. Togo’s currently has nearly 250 locations in the western United States with plans to expand further.

Togo’s offers several menu options that vegetarians and vegans may enjoy. The West Coast chain serves an Avocado & Cucumber Sandwich on a choice of breads with a variety of vegetable condiments, always made to order.

Their San Francisco Style Sourdough and Classic White Breads contain no animal products whatsoever. Milk and honey are in the 100% Honey Whole Wheat Bread. The Parmesan Cheese Bread contains cheese. The whole wheat wrap contains honey powder. The spinach wrap is all-vegetable. This West Coast chain told us in October 2012 that they now use a non-animal sourced dough conditioner in its breads.

Togo’s all-vegetable hummus according to a senior staff member has been formulated with the utmost attention given to every single ingredient in order to “make it the best hummus we possibly could create.” The hummus may be ordered as a stand-alone menu item.

According to Togo’s website, the Viva Veggie Wrap consists of a “…spinach wrap filled with hummus, roasted red peppers, feta cheese, red onions, shredded lettuce & balsamic vinaigrette.” This sandwich may be ordered without feta cheese (or any other condiment). Togo’s informed The VRG in October 2012 that the rennet used in their cheeses is non-animal. The balsamic vinaigrette is all-vegetable.

Togo’s Garden Vegetable Soup is all-vegetable with no animal-based broths used. The cookies and brownies served at Togo’s contain eggs and milk.

Those looking for more information about menu offerings including nutritional and allergen information or to locate a restaurant may visit Togo’s website: http://www.togos.com

The contents of this article, our website, and our other publications, including the 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 employees or company statements. Information does change and mistakes are always possible. Please use your own best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. Further research or confirmation may be warranted.

To purchase our Guide to Food Ingredients, please visit our website: http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=8

For information on food ingredients, fast food, and for other information of interest to vegetarians and vegans, please subscribe to our enewsletter at: http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/

For more quick service chain information, see: http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

To support VRG research, you can donate at: http://www.vrg.org/donate

There are many ways to stay connected to The Vegetarian Resource Group!
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Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/VegResourceGrp

The VRG received an email in January 2013 from a reader inquiring about Starbucks® Vanilla Spice Latte He wanted to know if the natural flavors in the new drink were all-vegetable.

We called the Seattle Starbucks® corporate headquarters and were told by a customer service representative that information on natural flavors was proprietary. He said that “I don’t know if they’re animal or not, and I have no access to information other than what is on the company’s website.” http://www.starbucks.com/ He consulted with his supervisor at our request who told him that no further information was available.

The VRG asked if it were possible to provide a list of Starbucks® menu items that were completely all-vegetable. We were told that no such list was available to him on the Starbucks® website nor on the internal website used by Starbucks® staff.

The rep suggested that we contact a local Starbucks® manager who would at least have the syrup bottles with ingredient lists displayed on the label.

So the VRG called a Baltimore-area Starbucks® in January 2013. We spoke to the manager who was very willing to look into the matter for us among the resources she had at her store. Unfortunately, after looking, she had no information regarding the natural flavors in Starbucks® products. She read off the label from the syrup used in the Vanilla Spice Latte: “sugar, water, natural flavor, citric acid, potassium sorbate.” She also read from the label that the syrup had been manufactured by another company for Starbucks® but had no further information on it.

The VRG emailed Starbucks® in January 2013 to see if we’d get any further information on vegan menu items. We asked specifically whether the natural flavors in the Vanilla Spice Latte were plant- or animal-derived. We also requested a list of vegan products. Within ten hours we received the following response from a customer service representative:

We use the term “natural flavors” in compliance with the labeling requirements of the Food and Drug Administration. (These can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations Book 21 CFR 101.22) If you have concerns about a product possibly containing ingredients that you do not wish to consume, we would recommend that you not consume that menu item and instead try a different option.

I can confirm that the following beverages and food items are currently suitable for vegans.
Drinks:
Tazo Tea
Filter Coffee
Café Misto with Soy
Steamed Soy with or without syrups
Espresso
Espresso Macchiato with Soy
Café Americano black or with Soy
Soy Lattes with or without syrups
Soy Cappuccinos with or without syrups
Mocha with Soy
Classic Hot chocolate with Soy
Tea based Frappuccinos
Frappuccinos made with Soy milk without whipped cream (excluding our Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino due to the Chocolate Chips in the beverage recipe as they contain dairy. Our Caramel Drizzle topping is also not suitable for vegans as it contains dairy.)
Food:
Perfect Porridge with Soy Milk and dried fruit
Very Berry Compote
Fresh Fruit Salad
Fruit Salad
Fairtrade Banana
Roasted Almonds
Nut Mix
Fairtrade Chocolate bar – dark
Sea Salt Potato Chips
Sea Salt and Cider Vinegar Potato Chips
Lollipops
After Coffee Mints
Please ask the barista in store if you are unable to locate these items.

The contents of this article, our website, and our other publications, including the 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 employees or company statements. Information does change and mistakes are always possible. Please use your own best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. Further research or confirmation may be warranted.

With thirty locations in ten states and four international locations, Elevation Burger opened in 2005 as a fast-casual burger chain featuring 100% USDA Organic beef. For patrons looking for a meatless alternative, Elevation Burger has offered two veggie burgers from the beginning.

Veggie Burger #1’s ingredients are as follows: button mushrooms, onions, crimini mushrooms, portabella mushrooms, cooked brown rice, rolled oats, mozzarella cheese, water, bulgur, parsley, cheddar cheese. Contains 2% or less of yeast extract, natural flavor, modified vegetable gum, salt, mushroom extract, garlic powder, autolyzed yeast extract, spices, citric acid, malted barley, natural butter flavor, whey, dehydrated onion, annatto, dehydrated mushrooms, guar gum, natural smoke flavor, turmeric, soy lecithin.

Veggie Burger #2’s ingredients are as follows: organic cooked brown rice, water, organic corn, organic carrots, organic onions, organic green peppers, organic rolled oats, organic red bell peppers, organic soy protein isolate, organic canola oil, organic high oleic sunflower oil. Contains 2% or less of broccoli, sea salt, carrageenan, organic soy sauce, organic onion powder, konjac flour, organic garlic powder, organic spices.

We were told that all burgers are served on a potato roll containing the following ingredients: enriched unbleached wheat flour, water, yeast, sugar, potato flour, vital wheat gluten. Contains 2% or less of honey, vegetable oil, salt, guar gum, natural and artificial flavors, yeast nutrient (ammonium sulfate), dough conditioners (mono-diglycerides, sodium stearoyl lactylate, ascorbic acid, monocalcium phosphate, azodicarbonamide), calcium sulfate, enzymes, calcium propionate, yellow corn flour, turmeric, annatto.

Patrons may order either Veggie Burger #1 or #2 wrapped in iceberg lettuce instead of on a potato roll.

The veggie patties are grilled on a separate, specially designated surface away from all beef burgers. No oil is used. The same utensils are not used for both veggie and beef patties. Once sanitized, however, utensils previously used for meat products may be used for non-meat products. The kitchen contains a three-compartment sink that is used for all utensils.

Elevation Burger offers Elevation Sauce as an optional condiment for all of its burgers. Their Elevation Sauce is “…a creamy, tomato-based sauce that is not spicy or hot.” It contains eggs and is not vegan.

The caramelized onions offered as an optional condiment are prepared on the same grill surface as beef burgers.

Also on the menu is a grilled cheese sandwich served on the potato bun described above. Elevation Burger told us that the cheddar cheese is made with “microbial rennet, not animal rennet.”

Elevation Burger cuts its own potatoes and fries them in olive oil. There are no flavored coatings on the potatoes nor any flavorings in the oil. We were also told that no meat items are prepared in the same fryer.

Mandarin oranges are offered as a side dish at Elevation Burger. Cookies served at Elevation Burger contain eggs and butter.

Readers interested in learning more about Elevation Burger may visit: http://www.elevationburger.com

The contents of this article, our website, and our other publications, including the 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 employees or company statements. Information does change and mistakes are always possible. Please use your own best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. Further research or confirmation may be warranted.

To purchase our Guide to Food Ingredients, please visit our website: http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=8

For information on food ingredients, fast food, and for other information of interest to vegetarians and vegans, please subscribe to our enewsletter at http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/

To support VRG research, you can donate at http://www.vrg.org/donate

There are many ways to stay connected to The Vegetarian Resource Group!
Get our blog delivered right to your inbox: http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheVRGBlog
Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thevegetarianresourcegroup
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/VegResourceGrp

Since January 2011, Yard House restaurants have offered gardein™, an all-vegetable, high-protein food developed by Garden Protein International, as an option in twenty-five menu items available at all of its locations in over a dozen states. Those interested may find a listing of locations at Yard House’s website: http://www.yardhouse.com/locations/

The VRG spoke with Carlito Jocson, executive chef and partner at Yard House, about their menu. Jocson emphasized that “Although Yard House is not a vegan restaurant, our gardein™ option provides everyone a chance to go meatless if they so desire while dining at Yard House and enjoying many of our signature dishes.”

On a page devoted to its gardein™ menu options, the Yard House website clearly states at the top (italics by Yard House):

“gardein™ is a chicken or beef substitute made from soy, wheat, pea proteins, vegetables and ancient grains. Yard House offers a variety of menu selections made with gardein™ that do not contain meat, fish, poultry, shellfish or product derived from these sources, but may contain dairy or eggs. Please note that Yard House is not a vegan environment as we share cooking surfaces, equipment, and storage areas with both animal and non-animal food products. Although we will make every effort to meet your dietary needs we cannot 100% assure there will be no cross contact.”

Jocson told The VRG that a “separate sautee pan is used to heat the pre-made gardein™ served at Yard House…the pan is sanitized between uses but is not exclusively used for gardein™ all the time. Anything charbroiled is prepared on a common surface…A common utensil sanitation bucket is changed every hour in the kitchen.”

At Yard House, a gardein™ option is available for the following appetizers: gardein™ Buffalo Wings (dressing contains dairy); gardein™ Firecracker Wings, and gardein™ Jerk Wings. Jocson pointed out to us that the firecracker sauce is mushroom-based, and does not contain oyster extract, as it often does at other restaurants and once did at Yard House before he reformulated it. The firecracker sauce contains honey. The gardein™ Jerk Wings come with a rum BBQ sauce that is made with a Worcestershire sauce containing anchovies.

Another Yard House appetizer that may appeal to vegetarians and vegans is the lettuce wrap filled with shiitake and portabella mushrooms. The wrap also contains other stir-fried ingredients: smoked tofu, pine nuts and green onions. There are three sauce choices for the wrap: the sweet chile sauce, the spicy peanut vinaigrette, and the firecracker sauce. All three contain honey.

Yard House signature entrées containing gardein™ rather than meat or chicken include: the gardein™ BBQ Chicken Pizza; gardein™ BBQ Chicken Salad; gardein™ Béarnaise Sliders; gardein™ Chicken Rice Bowl with Brown or Jasmine Rice; gardein™ Classic Sliders with Cheddar Cheese; gardein™ Fried Chicken Strips; gardein™ Mac and Cheese; gardein™ Orange Peel Chicken with Brown or Jasmine Rice; gardein™ Penne with Chicken; gardein™ Spicy Thai Chicken Pizza; and gardein™ Thai Chicken Noodle Salad with Spicy Thai Vinaigrette.

Among the entrées listed above, the two that are free of all animal ingredients are the gardein™ Chicken Rice Bowl and the gardein™ Orange Peel Chicken. The sauces or dressings for all of the other entrées contain dairy, egg, and/or honey. Jocson told The VRG that the pizza dough contains honey.

When The VRG inquired about the sources of enzymes used to make the cheeses included in many of their menu items, Yard House contacted all of their cheese suppliers. We learned that all of the mozzarella cheese on their pizzas is made with “microbial rennet.” Some of their other cheeses, notably the Parmesan, Pepper Jack, and Fontina, comes from suppliers who use animal rennet while other suppliers of these cheeses use microbial rennet. Because there are several suppliers, the restaurant cannot guarantee the source of the enzyme in the Parmesan, Pepper Jack, and Fontina cheeses. As of February 2012, one feta cheese supplier at Yard House uses animal rennet while another did not specify. Most Swiss cheese suppliers use microbial rennet but one supplier did not specify its enzyme source.

Yard House also offers gardein™ as an alternative to meat or chicken on many of its burgers and sandwiches. The multi-grain bun appears to be all-vegetable and does not list L-cysteine as an ingredient, but since suppliers may change, Jocson told us that Yard House cannot guarantee this. The otherwise all-vegetable onion poppy seed bun contains L-cysteine. The French Fries appear to be free of all animal ingredients. They are not fried separately from animal-based menu items.

Among the “snacks” on the menu, patrons looking for options free of all animal ingredients should note that the hummus and accompanying pita or flatbread appear free of all animal products. Chilled edamame is also free of animal ingredients. Yard House guacamole contains dairy. The Truffle Fries contain milk. The Sweet Potato Fries are all-vegetable (without the dipping sauce). They are not fried separately from animal-based foods.

Yard House’s French Onion Soup is made with beef and chicken broth. The Organic Tomato Bisque contains milk but does not contain an animal-based stock.

Also of interest to some patrons may be the hongas and rajas (mushrooms, peppers, and onions) taco and the pinto bean casserole served at Yard House. The taco may be ordered without the jack and feta cheeses. Yard House told us that the pinto bean casserole contains no animal ingredients and may be ordered without the cheese blend topping. The tortilla appears free of all animal ingredients but since suppliers vary, Yard House cannot guarantee this.

All of the desserts at Yard House contain eggs and/or dairy.

Readers may find nutrition information about Yard House menu items at http://www.yardhouse.com/docs/yhnutritionalinfo.pdf

The contents of this article, our website, and our other publications, including the 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 employees or company statements. Information does change and mistakes are always possible. Please use your own best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. Further research or confirmation may be warranted.

To purchase our Guide to Food Ingredients, please visit our website: http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=8

For information on food ingredients, fast food, and for other information of interest to vegetarians and vegans, please subscribe to our enewsletter at http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/

There are many ways to stay connected to The Vegetarian Resource Group!
Get our blog delivered right to your inbox: http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheVRGBlog
Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thevegetarianresourcegroup
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/VegResourceGrp

Thank you for contacting Smashburger where we strive to be every city’s favorite burger place. Unfortunately, our Black Bean Burger is not vegan. I have listed out the ingredients that can be found in the Black Bean patty below.

Black Bean Patty:

• Black beans
• Red Onions
• Jalapenos
• Hot Sauce
• Cilantro
• Eggs
• Cheddar Cheese
• Cumin
• Garlic Seasoning
• Tortilla Chips
• Croutons

A staff member at the VRG spotted a July 2012 post at http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com written by a vegan who asserted that at P.F. Chang’s, “…all the dishes are cooked in oyster sauce [and so are not vegetarian or vegan.]” Since this information was contradictory to what we reported in 2008 about the P.F. Chang’s vegetarian-labeled menu items, (http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2008issue4/whos_veggie_friendly.htm), we contacted the chain to see if there had been an ingredient change.

The Marketing Coordinator at P.F. Chang’s told us in August 2012 that he would contact Chang’s Culinary Department to determine if the oyster sauce was animal-based. The Culinary Department relayed to him that: “…all of our vegetarian-marked items on our menu do not contain any seafood or animal products. Our ‘Vegetarian Oyster Sauce’ is actually made with mushrooms and no actual oyster or shellfish.”

The VRG also asked the Marketing Coordinator at P.F. Chang’s if any of the menu items noted as “vegetarian” contained honey, egg, or dairy ingredients. He assured us: “No, they do not, and as long as cane sugar is not an issue all of the items marked ‘vegetarian’ on our menu can also be considered ‘vegan.’”

More information about the vegetarian menu options at P.F. Chang’s may be found on their website: http://www.pfchangs.com/menu/

Another VRG article about P.F. Chang’s vegetarian dishes may be found here: http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2011issue1/2011_issue1_pf_changs.php

For information on food ingredients, fast food, and for other information of interest to vegetarians and vegans, please subscribe to our enewsletter at http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/

The contents of this article, our website, and our other publications, including the 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 employees or company statements.Information does change and mistakes are always possible. Please use your own best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. Further research or confirmation may be warranted.

There are many ways to stay connected to The Vegetarian Resource Group!
Get our blog delivered right to your inbox: http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheVRGBlog
Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thevegetarianresourcegroup
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/VegResourceGrp