By Whitney Blomquist

Interning at The Vegetarian Resource Group this fall semester has been inspirational. When I found out that I had to complete a 120-hour internship in order to graduate in January 2013, I knew I wanted to do something I was passionate about and interested in. When Charles replied back to my inquiry I was beyond excited!

Throughout my internship I was tasked with different duties, some large, some small, but all were important. My favorite task was gathering past Vegetarian Journals for the Tom Regan Animal Rights Archive at NC State University. The Vegetarian Journal dates back to 1982, so there were a lot of them! I enjoyed this project so much because I was able to see a complete time capsule of VRG from beginning to present. I got to read about animal rights causes that were successful and cruelties that still exist today. I searched through the VRG scrapbooks to find some of the missing issues and got to see pictures of past VRG camping trips, protests, potlucks, and tons of letters VRG has received over the years, from huge organizations to individuals just saying thank you. This project may have taken a little longer than expected but I could not help myself from getting caught up in how different yet the same life still is 30 years later.

During my internship I also worked VRG booths at the Hampden Fest in Maryand, Natural Products Expo, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Conference in Pennsylvania. I did writes ups for the blog and journal, taste tested vegan products to write Veggie Bits on, wrote restaurant blurbs for the restaurant guide, conducted professional interviews, promoted VRG’s Pre-Thanksgiving Potluck, made some new friends and learned a lot more then I ever thought I would about veganism, animal rights, and running a business. My internship at VRG improved my networking and writing skills, built my resume and has encouraged me to set goals for myself and realize that with some hard work, anything is achievable.

I began my internship in August. It is now November and as the semester draws to a close and I plan to move to another city I am happy to know that VRG will always be a part of me. I plan on continuing outreach by working VRG booths at festivals and conferences wherever I end up and helping in any way that I can.

For more information about VRG internships, see http://www.vrg.org/student/.
To donate towards VRG internships, scholarships, and other projects, visit http://www.vrg.org/donate.

These vegan restaurants were recently added to our online restaurant guide. To find restaurants in your area, visit: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

Bean Vegan Cuisine
3001 E. Independence Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28205
(980) 939-1234
Vegan/American. Bean Vegan Cuisine is an excellent place to go for vegan comfort food. Don’t miss delicious sandwiches like their BBQ Jackfruit, Reuben, and Crabbie Patty. Ask about their daily specials and dessert selection. For classic American favorites made vegan, Bean can’t be beat! Open Wednesday through Monday for lunch and dinner. Closed Tuesday. Full service, take-out, catering, beer/wine, VISA/MC/AMEX/DISC, $-$$.

Coconut Glen’s
Mile 27 1/2 Hana Hwy., Hana, HI 96713
(808) 979-1168
Vegan/ice cream stand/organic. Coconut Glen’s is an ice cream stand serving vegan and organic ice cream. Enjoy gourmet vegan ice cream made from coconut milk and served in a coconut bowl with a coconut spoon! Unique flavors include Coffee Toffee, Banana Rum Raisin, and Chili Chocolate Chipotle. Glen also offers handmade coconut candy that takes three days to prepare and cooks for 16 hours. The stand is located on the Hana Highway (between Mile Marker 27 and 28) in Hana, a town on Maui, southeast coast. Coconut Glen’s may be hard to find, but it’s definitely worth the trip! Cash only. Open Monday through Saturday. Closed Sunday. Counter service, take-out, $.

V Organic Café & Art Academy
62 Main St., Upton, MA 01568
(508) 529-2900
Vegan/organic/café/bakery. V Organic Café is a completely vegan eatery and bakery with a focus on organic ingredients. The menu changes daily but previous items have included an Eggplant Panini, Hummus Wrap, and Pumpkin & Squash Soup. Their baked goods include scones, cupcakes, muffins, cookies, and more! In addition to the café, V features a fine art gallery along with classes taught by local artists and art teachers. V Organic Café is a great place to grab a tasty vegan meal or sweet treat! Open Tuesday through Saturday for breakfast and lunch. Closed Sunday and Monday. Full service, take-out, smoothies, soymilk, VISA/MC, $-$$.

Vitality Bistro
301 N Baker St., Ste. 106, Mount Dora, FL 32757
(352) 735-8411
Vegan/raw foods/organic. Vitality Bistro is a vegan eatery offering a menu of organic living foods. Enjoy entrées like Heirloom Lasagna, “Cheeze” Lovers’ Pizza, Asian Noodles with Sweet Dragon Sauce, and Tostada Mexicana. Their Frosty Fudgesicle Shake is out of this world! Ask your server about the daily specials. Free Wi-Fi is available. Open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. Closed Sunday and Monday. Full service, take-out, catering, fresh juices, smoothies, wine, VISA/MC/DISC, $$.

Please help us keep our restaurant guide current and accurate! Restaurants continually change locations, new ones open, and others close. To let us know about any restaurants we should add, delete, or if our existing entry should be changed, please complete the form here:

If you would like to volunteer with maintaining and updating The Vegetarian Resource Group restaurant guide, please email us at vrg@vrg.org. Thank you!

by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

The VRG received a request from an online reader who was experiencing difficulty getting ingredient information from a large beverage corporation. He asked us to “…give advice about getting answers from corporations like this.” Here are some suggestions:

• Scour the Web first. Look for an ingredients statement or an ingredients list for the product. Start at the company’s main website. Don’t overlook blogs and forums.
• Reserve judgment about what you read on the Web until you get confirmation. Even a company website may need updating. Approach contacting companies like it was a confirmation hearing for ingredients. Don’t be confrontational but be serious in your quest for company transparency about its ingredients.
• Email once. Email twice. On different days of different weeks at different times. But keep the question the same.
• Call once. Call twice. On different days of different weeks at different times preferably speaking to different people. But keep the question the same.
• When in doubt, go higher. Ask to speak to someone in the quality assurance department. They know more.
• Keep it simple. State one question per call/email in as few words as possible. (E.g., Are the natural flavors in the product derived from meat, eggs, or dairy?) If it’s a packaged good question, have a complete product name and if possible a SKU number handy.
• When in doubt, rephrase the question and ask it again during the first call or as a follow-up email reply to the first response you receive. (E.g., Is there anything from animals including meat or enzymes, or from eggs, or from milk such as casein or whey in the natural flavors in the product?”) On the phone, make sure it’s understood correctly. Listen for inconsistencies or vagueness. Write the responses down when on the phone on a piece of paper (or on a computer) where you have already written the original and rephrased questions before calling. Also note the number called, the person asked, the date and time.
• Ask a friend to cross-check. See if someone else gets the same answer as you did to the same question.
• Respond to vague answers with more clarity. Be ready with definitions. Use definitions from our Guide to Food Ingredients that you have previously read and understood, Go to http://www.vrg.org/ingredients/index.php
• If asked why you want to know, state “I’m a veg*n and don’t consume x, y, and z. I want to know if the product contains x, y, or z or any ingredients derived from x, y, and z.” Be very specific about your personal dietary choices.
• Don’t make assumptions. “Vegetarian” and “vegan” mean very different things to different people so never just ask “Is the product vegan?” Rather ask “Do any ingredients in the product come from meat, dairy, or eggs (or any other ingredient which you don’t consume)?”
• If you receive information that contradicts what you saw on a company website or what you received from an email or previous call, ask about the discrepancy in a tactful, neutral manner. Be specific. Provide: URL, name of person asked, date, time, etc. Asked to speak to a supervisor if you find the explanation questionable or ask to be called back once the issue is investigated to receive the correct information.
• Be persistent and follow through! Be empathetic and supportive to the company employee, but keep on asking until you are satisfied with the response you get.

If you see or hear any contradictions as you conduct your veg*n ingredients research, please let us know at vrg@vrg.org.

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 updates on food ingredients and for all kinds of vegetarian- and vegan-related information, please subscribe to our free 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
Visit us on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/VegResourceGrp
and friend us on Facebook:
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To support VRG research, donate at http://www.vrg.org/donate.

A graduate student from University of Georgia has asked that The VRG participate in a national survey on vegetarianism and for us to share it with our members. The purpose of the survey is to examine and document the infant feeding intentions and practices of vegetarian women in the United States. Please take a few minutes to take the survey and help this student collect data and feel free to share with family and friends as well:

https://ugeorgia.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_e2JKbUBstdJlhoF

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

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!
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

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

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.

By Gianna Mautone

At the end of my three month internship at The Vegetarian Resource Group, I remember my first days here very clearly. I remember my online internship search prior to returning to Loyola University this fall, when I discovered that there was an opportunity available at the VRG, just minutes from my school. I had learned about the VRG from a professor, and upon searching the website and blog, reading articles and descriptions, I began to realize just how fitting this internship would be for me. My passion for health, vegetarianism, writing and activism fueled my interest in continuing to learn more about these topics while applying my skills to the organization. I came into the internship comfortable with the fact that there was a lot I did not know about these topics, but was excited to learn more from the VRG staff and community.

From the start of the internship, my personal interests and goals have been recognized and valued. Charles and Debra compiled a list of projects and tasks that I would be working on throughout my time at the VRG, all of which related in some way to the personal experiences, interests and goals that I had expressed involvement and interest in. I am most grateful for the opportunity to have expanded my knowledge and experience in areas that actually apply to my interests and passions, rather than participating in mundane tasks in the office.

My first project, for example, was to write a recipe article for the Vegetarian Journal on Vegan Ecuadorian Recipes. For the past two years, I have traveled to Ecuador with a delegation of students and staff from Loyola University, for a faith-based immersion trip. My experiences in Ecuador and the relationships I’ve built with individuals there are very close to my heart and have shaped who I am today. That being said, I was thrilled to be afforded the opportunity to use my experience in Ecuador and my knowledge of the Spanish language (as well as my love for food!) to create vegan recipes inspired by traditional Ecuadorian cuisine. After developing these recipes and writing the article, I translated it into Spanish. This was a fun and challenging way to kick off my time here at the VRG.

Other projects I have worked on throughout my time as an intern include writing for the blog about vegan and vegetarian food available at Loyola, compiling research for vegetarian/vegan senior care, updating our national Restaurant Guide, working at the VRG table at Baltimore’s Vegtoberfest, and informing local newspapers and media sites about our annual Vegan Thanksgiving potluck dinner, as well as, of course, attending the delicious potluck. I even converted an article into HTML – at a very basic level – but am impressed with myself, nonetheless!

Among these tasks and projects, I have learned a lot in less concrete ways throughout my time as an intern. Daily talks with Charles and Debra about life and my future have been very encouraging and inspirational. It means so much to me to have been able to learn from the experiences of individuals whose job reflects their passions in life. This is something I aspire to!

I leave my VRG internship feeling grateful for the opportunities I have encountered, the welcoming people I have met, and the useful information I have learned about vegetarianism, non-profit and advocacy work, as well as the encouragement to foster passion in my future endeavors.

For information about Vegetarian Resource Group internships, see: http://www.vrg.org/student/index.php

To support VRG internships and other projects, please donate at: www.vrg.org/donate

Applications are due on Feb 20!

Each year, VRG awards $10,000 in college scholarship money to two high school seniors who have promoted vegetarianism in their schools/communities ($5,000 to each). The deadline – February 20 – is right around the corner, so if you want to apply, or know someone who should apply, click here for more information.

VRG also offers The Eleanor Wolff Scholarship which is a paid summer internship ($2,500 plus $1,000 toward housing) at VRG’s Baltimore office. Here’s what our interns have had to say about their experiences: http://www.vrg.org/student.

Good luck!

Chipotle Mexican Grill has announced that they plan to test a vegetarian 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=

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

The VRG received an inquiry from a food company in January 2013 about vegan sugar defined as sugar that had not been processed through cow bone char. As we reported in a 2007 update, most United States cane sugar continues to be decolorized through cow bone char.

We spoke with two employees at C&H® Sugar in January 2013 who told us that most of their sugar not certified USDA Organic is processed through “natural charcoal” (i.e., cow bone char). Their Washed Raw Sugar has not been decolorized using bone char but it is only produced at its Hawaii plant and not available for widespread distribution especially in large quantities. However, the company is looking into purchasing cane sugar from other nations in order to expand production of the Washed Raw Sugar.

C&H® directed us to its sister companies: Florida Crystals® and Domino® Sugar. Florida Crystals sugar, both conventional and USDA Organic varieties, has not been processed through cow bone char. It is widely available in both large and small quantities.

Comparatively speaking, Florida Crystals® is more expensive than other sugar brands. For example, in January 2013 The VRG noticed several online stores selling their own store brand conventional sugar for approximately $3/4 lbs. while Florida Crystals® sugar sells for approximately $6/4 lbs. http://shop.floridacrystals.com/Natural-Sugar

Similarly, large quantities of sugar differ significantly in price. Conventional cane sugar at several online stores sells for approximately $23/50 lbs. while Florida Crystals® cane sugar sells for approximately $36/25 lbs. Florida Crystals® Demerara Sugar costs approximately $58/50 lbs.

The VRG spoke with Shannon, a customer service representative at Domino® Sugar. She explained that although most Domino® Sugar has been processed through cow bone char, it is possible to tell from the sugar bag label whether is came from one of two of its nine North American plants in which processing does not involve cow bone char. One of the plants is located in Yonkers, NY and the other is in Orlando, FL.

The first number/letter on the package code reveals the plant in which the sugar was processed. The number “1” identifies the Yonkers plant as the processing location. The letter “X” means that the sugar was processed at the Orlando plant.

The second number refers to the year in which the sugar was packaged (“2” for 2012). The third refers to the week in that year when the sugar was processed (“8” means the eighth week). The following number refers to the day of the week on which the sugar was processed (“2” refers to Tuesday). The following “A, B, or C” indicates the shift (morning, afternoon, or night) when the sugar underwent processing. The last number identifies the machine on which the sugar was processed.

Shannon could not specify whether sugar is only sold close to its plant of origin or whether it may travel long distances before being sold. Therefore, we cannot say that only stores close to Yonkers or Orlando carry Domino® Sugar that has not been processed through cow bone char.

In December 2012, The VRG reported that Australia has not used cow bone char to decolorize its sugar since 1990. Instead, Australians use non-animal activated carbon filters. The major Australian sugar company told us that they do not distribute to North or South America. http://www.vrg.org/blog/2012/12/19/non-animal-coal-filters-used-to-process-cane-sugar-in-australia/

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