Red Fox Spices has produced Ethiopian meal kits that you can order online and have delivered to your home. Read the review here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2026issue2/2026_issue2_veggie_bits.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal is the USA only, visit www.vrg.org/member

istock photo

by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Young children, regardless of their diet, are at risk for iron deficiency according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health (1). Almost a quarter of children age 1 to 2 years in the United States have iron deficiency (defined as serum ferritin <15μg/L) (2). Between 0.9% and 4.4% of U.S. toddlers age 1 to 3 years have iron deficiency anemia (defined for children aged 12 through 35 months as a hemoglobin concentration of less than 11.0 g/dL) (3).

The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) for iron for 1 to 3 year olds is 1.3 milligrams of iron daily. If we increase that by 1.8 times, as is recommended for vegetarians including vegans, we get an RDA of 2.3 milligrams of iron for vegan toddlers (4).

How might vegan toddlers get some extra iron? Here are some ideas, in toddler-friendly form:

1. Snack on shelled edamame or mix edamame with pasta, steamed vegetables, or rice. A toddler-size quarter cup serving provides 0.9 milligrams of iron, almost 40% of the RDA for vegan toddlers.
2. Cube firm tofu and steam, roast, or sauté, adding sauce or catsup or other condiments to your toddler’s liking. A quarter cup of firm tofu cubes has 1.75 milligrams of iron, more than half the RDA for vegan toddlers.
3. Add iron-fortified baby cereal and/or wheat germ to the batter for muffins, pancakes, waffles, and other bready finger foods. Just 2 tablespoons of iron-fortified baby cereal contain 3.4 milligrams of iron. Two tablespoons of wheat germ have 1.4 milligrams of iron.
4. Check the label of the bread that you buy. Bread made with 100% whole wheat flour or with iron-enriched flour can provide 0.5 milligrams or more or iron per slice.
5. If your toddler likes toast, try topping it with a thin spread of tahini or of hummus made with tahini. A teaspoon of tahini has 0.35 milligrams of iron, about 15% of the RDA for a vegan toddler.
6. Make a thick lentil pate like this one which has more than 1 milligram of iron in 1/12 of the recipe. Toddlers may like to dip crackers or sliced vegetables or fruit in the pate, eat it on bread or crackers, or eat it by the spoonful.
7. Serve an iron-fortified breakfast cereal for breakfast or a snack. Trader Joe’s O’s (more than 1 milligram of iron per ¼ cup serving), is one example of a toddler-friendly cereal that is fortified with iron and not with non-vegan vitamin D.
8. Make bean burgers, a fun finger food, either cut in pieces or made into small burgers. One-sixth of this Garbanzo Bean Burger recipe supplies around 1.3 milligrams of iron, more than half the RDA for vegan toddlers.
9. Add raisins to breakfast cereal and baked goods. A couple of tablespoons of raisins adds around 0.4 milligrams of iron, about 17% of the RDA for vegan toddlers.
10. Promote iron absorption from plant foods by including a source of vitamin C at meals and snacks. Blueberries, strawberries, mango slices, orange sections, cantaloupe chunks are fruit sources of vitamin C. Vegetable sources include tomatoes and tomato sauce, broccoli, cabbage, and bell peppers.

Some toddlers may need an iron supplement. Always discuss supplement use with your child’s health care provider before starting a supplement.

And, keep in mind that in non-vegan toddlers in the United States, beef contributed 2% of their total iron intake (5). Iron-fortified breakfast cereals, baby cereals, and bread products were the main contributors of iron for non-vegan 1 to 2 year olds in the United States (6).

References

1. National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements. Iron – Health Professionals. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/#h9. 2025.
2. National Center for Health Statistics. Anemia or Iron Deficiency. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/anemia.htm. 2026.
3. Baker RD, Greer FR. Diagnosis and prevention of iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia in infants and young children (0-3 years of age). Pediatrics 2010;126:1040-50.
4. Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001.
5. Finn K, Callen C, Bhatia J, et al. Importance of dietary sources of iron in infants and toddlers: Lessons from the FITS Study. Nutrients. 2017;9:733.
6. Fox MK, Reidy K, Novak T, et al. Sources of energy and nutrients in the diets of infants and toddlers. J Am Diet Assoc. 2006;106(1 Suppl 1):S28-S42.

To read more about iron in the vegan diet see:

Iron in the Vegan Diet

Ten Ways Vegans Can Boost Their Iron Intake

Vegan Iron Sources in the Grocery Store

Latin American Vegan Foods High in Iron

Sources of information for the iron content of foods was package labels and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center. FoodData Central.

The contents of this website and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal and Vegan 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 statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

Cochineal from which Carmine is derived Photo by Roberto Michel Getty Images

A Vegan Journal reader informed us that she felt a strawberry drink labeled vegan that she bought was actually not vegan due to the fact that in contains carmine. VRG’s Research Director Jeanne Yacoubou, MS, looked into this concern and reports back here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2026issue2/2026_issue2_update-carmine.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal is the USA only, visit www.vrg.org/member

On Saturday, June 27th, Lovin’ Spoonfuls is extending hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for a special Italian Dinner Night, with dinner being served from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Lovin’ Spoonfuls is located at 2990 N. Campbell Ave. #120, Tucson, Arizona, and is usually open daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Read more here: https://www.instagram.com/lovinspoonfulstucson/?hl=en

blueberries photo from Stocksnap

By Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD

Sometimes it’s hard to get past eating fresh blueberries by the handful, or even as a frozen snack. Beyond the luxury of topping hot and cold cereal or granola with fresh blueberries, or using frozen (fresh blueberries that you’ve washed and frozen) in smoothies, ice cubes and cold drinks, consider the following:

Blueberry Egg Cream: following the tradition of the New York summer treat that has neither cream nor eggs (milk and chocolate syrup are the usual ingredients), create a blueberry version. Purée fresh or frozen blueberries, and put about two Tablespoons in the bottom of a large glass. Mix in about a teaspoon of maple syrup or liquid sweetener of choice, a splash of plant milk, and top with sparkling water or seltzer.

Blueberry Sojito: add about two Tablespoons of fresh or frozen blueberries and about 3 fresh, shredded mint leaves to the bottom of a large glass. Smush with the back of a spoon (called “muddling), until you have a well-combined paste. Add very cold sparkling water or seltzer, quickly mix, and enjoy!

Blueberry Popsicles: combine two cups of your favorite lemonade with one cup of puréed, fresh blueberries and mix well. Pour into separate small cups stirring a few fresh, whole blueberries into each cup. Freeze. Add a popsicle stick or a straw, if you like, to have a portable snack.

Topless Blueberry Pies or Tarts: bake your favorite pie shell or tart shells and allow to cool. Combine about 1 cup water, 3 Tablespoons cornstarch, and ¾ cup dry granulated sweetener in a small pot and heat, stirring for about 10 minutes, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat, stir in 2 Tablespoons vegan margarine and let cool for about five minutes. Stir in 3 cups fresh, washed and drained blueberries (or more, depending on how dense you’d like the filling). Pour into pie shell or tart shells. Refrigerate for at least two hours to allow the filling to set. If pie or tart shells are not available, pour the blueberry filling into a bowl and allow to chill for at least two hours. Use this to garnish cake slices, cookies, or sorbet or use as a topping for pancakes.

Blueberry Dump Cake: It may have a silly name, but is a seriously good dessert. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking pan (9- x 13-inch works) with vegetable oil. Combine 3 cups fresh, washed and drained blueberries with ½ cup of vegan dry sweetener and a teaspoon of grated lemon zest. Spread blueberry mixture evenly in the baking pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over the blueberries (do not mix). Drizzle ½ cup melted vegan margarine over the cake mix. Bake about 35 minutes, or until the top is nicely golden. If you have extra blueberry pie filling leftover from your topless blueberry pie, you can use it instead of the fresh blueberries.

Be sure to take advantage of fresh blueberries and freeze some to use when the season is over. Wash and drain blueberries and allow to dry. They can be frozen whole, to be used in beverages, cooked pasta (try it in couscous), fresh salads, microwave blueberry jam, cooked cereals, and pancake, cornbread, and muffin batter. Or they can be puréed and frozen in small containers, to be used in smoothies, salad dressings, barbecue sauce (it works!), and mocktails.

In the latest Scientific Update in Vegan Journal we look at a study that examined Young Swedish Vegans, Lacto-Ovo Vegetarians, and Omnivores Dietary Intake and Nutritional Status. Read about the study here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2026issue2/2026_issue2_scientific_update.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal is the USA only, visit www.vrg.org/member

Work with Purpose from Vegan Journal by Hannah Kaminsky.

Vegan Journal editor Hannah Kaminksy interviews the founders of vegan Zucchini Kill Bakery in Austin, Texas. What motivated them to start the bakery? Why allergy-free? Why not using artificial coloring? What decisions did they have to make about packaging? What do they wish their customer knew? What are challenges to starting your own ethical business?

See video at https://youtu.be/_stXg04LqY4

Bare Life’s instant hot cocoa mix is reviewed in the latest edition of Vegan Journal. They also produce a frozen hot cocoa mix designed to blended with ice. Read the review here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2026issue2/2026_issue2_veggie_bits.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal is the USA only, visit www.vrg.org/member

photo from Nacha Foccacia

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: www.vrg.org/restaurant

To support the updating of this online restaurant guide, please donate at: www.vrg.org/donate

Julie Goes Green, 11140 Palms Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90034

What’s the philosophy at Julie Goes Green? “We prioritize sustainability by using locally sourced, organic ingredients and eco-friendly practices.” Valuing “community,” they feel their “…space fosters connection, warmth, and the joy of eating in harmony with nature.” Some Small Plates are tempura battered, Fried Coconut Calamari featuring seasoned, fresh coconut meat, cilantro, red onions, and sweet and sour sauce; Michael’s Mac and Cheese, Fried Mushrooms or Zucchini; as well as Buffalo Cauliflower or (soy) Buffalo Drum Sticks—both battered and fried, with hot sauce, “house” vegan ranch, along with carrots and celery sticks. Of their many Pastas, a few are Eggplant Parmigiana breaded and baked with vegan cheese and “house” marinara; as well as Shrimp Scampi with vegan shrimp sautéed in vegan butter, garlic, lemon and white wine sauce; vegan Chicken Piccata in fresh lemon and white wine sauce, topped with capers—all with spaghetti; or Chicken Marsala Pasta, Pink Sauce with Mushroom Penne and Fettuccine Alfredo with “House” cashew sauce, mushroom, and sun dried tomato. A couple of the several Salad selections are Italian Salad–organic romaine lettuce, vegan mozzarella, garbanzo, kidney beans, tomatoes, olives, pepperoncini, and Italian dressing and Roasted Veggies and Avocado Salad–organic greens, avocado, tomato, roasted bell peppers, sweet potato, seasonal squash, and “house” balsamic vinaigrette. Some examples of their various 10” or 14″ Pizzas are Fresh Botanic Garden Pizza featuring tomato sauce, vegan mozzarella, “California grown” tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, onion, and olives; Hawaiian Delight Pizza offering tomato sauce, vegan mozzarella, vegan bacon, and pineapple; and Julie’s Favorite Pizza with “House” pesto sauce, spinach, sun dried tomato, sautéed tempeh, and vegan mozzarella. Subs include Meatball, and Chicken or Eggplant Parmesan. How about an Organic Cookie for Dessert?

Nacha Foccacia, 800 Franklin Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11238

As the name would suggest, at Nacha Foccacia, it’s all about Bread, which is viewed here as “…a vessel for endless potential…” Of course there’s the OG–classic focaccia. Piment Rouge rocks tomato creole flavor and coconut chutney dip. Choco Bliss is double chocolate chunk focaccia. You might greet the day with Morning Munch Sandwich of vegan bacon, vegan egg patty, harissa, and seeded oil crunch mayo. Wild Orchard presents peppered vegan turkey, “homemade” lemon ricotta, pickled red onion, mustard, pear, and arugula salad. Shiko’s Katsu is a crispy fried cutlet, tonkatsu sauce, cabbage slaw, and cucumber. How about a Chocolate Sandwich? Chocolate & Co combines homemade strawberry jam and sunflower or peanut butter served on double chocolate chunk focaccia. Besides “Classic” Coffee Drinks, they offer Specialty Lattes like Strawberry Matcha, Black Sesame, Chai, and Jamaican Cocoa Tea. For a dash of color, you could top your latte with some brilliant purple Ube, sky blue Spirulina, or Cherry Blossom Cold Foam. Hopefully you too will experience Nacha as a “…love letter to the simple beauty of bread.”

Peace Natural Vegan Food, 1593 Solano Ave., Berkeley, CA 94707

Peace Natural Vegan Food welcomes you to “Enjoy a tasty, healthy, vegan and all organic meal!” In the interest of freshness and seasonality, the menu changes daily. They offer “Modest and Generous portions” of each day’s dishes. Full meals include soup, grains, legumes, greens, mixed vegetables, and salad. If you’re not quite as hungry, there’s the Trio meal of soup and your choice of three of the daily dishes. A sample of what you might find on the daily menu include French Lentil and Mixed Vegetables Soup, Long Grain Brown and Wild Rice, Garbanzo Beans, and Green Lentils with Ginger and Onion; Stir Fried Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, and Green Beans with Ginger and Onion; Collard Greens and Kale with Brown Mushroom and Leek Sauce; and Mixed Greens with Balsamic Vinegar, Olive Oil, Red Beet, and Agave Dressing. They also offer “healthy” Snacks/Appetizers like Fresh Rolls and Momos (dumplings), as well as house‑made organic Desserts” like Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal-Apricot, Blueberry, and Strawberry Jam Cookies, and Chocolate, Key Lime, Mango, and Strawberry Pies.

Plant Based Mafia, 1115 NE 9th Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304

Think of all the Italian favorite dishes made from plants twist. Enjoy Buffalo Cauliflower, Housemade Creamy Tomato Soup, Garlic Bread, Danny’s Famous Lasagna, Goodfella Burger, Wiseguy BBQ Chicken Pizza, The Godmother Sandwich, plus more. Check out their desserts as well!

Variable Café, 13350 W. Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90066

Some of Variable Café’s goals are “joy, health, and community.” In that spirit, they spotlight a local Artist of the Month, displaying their work throughout their plant-based restaurant. Two Appetizers on their abundant, varied menu include “organic,” Kurt Brussel sprout, vegan parmesan cheese, “organic” green apple, and maple lemon dressing, as well as West Coast (vegan) Shrimp showcasing “house” batter, “organic” coconut, and “house” plum sauce. Damn Good Chili combines kidney beans, onion, black beans, corn, celery, carrots, jalapeño, chickpeas, minced vegan turkey, vegan mozzarella, and vegan cheddar. Some creative Salads are Wavecrest Ct with “organic” mixed greens, fennel, blood orange, navel orange twist, radish, red onion, cranberry, “organic” raw sunflower seeds, and citrus dressing and other salads with many add-ons like quinoa, “organic” tofu, Portobello mushrooms, and more. Mains, “which are all sourced daily and locally,” include Indian Tikka Masala with “homemade” Indian curry, broccoli, cauliflower, squash, potatoes, cabbage, chickpeas, greens, wild Jasmin rice blend, and Indian Flat Bread and My Son’s Pho featuring “house” marinated soy chicken, steamed rice noodles, “organic” Shiitake, daikon, baby bok choy, bean sprouts, “organic” edamame, and basil in “house-made” broth. N Seoul Bowl offers “spicy,” plant-based pork, “house” marinated Kimchi, “organic” edamame, “organic” spinach, carrots, broccoli, “organic shiitake,” “organic” quinoa, and sesame seeds. Little Venice Bowl features “organic” tofu kabob with red bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, pineapple, Greek lemon brown rice, grilled veggies, “organic” Greek salad, and vegan feta. Some Desserts “made in house” by their pastry chef are Vegan Java Chip Cookie, “house-made,” warm “Organic” Hemp Seeds Brownie, “homemade,” layered, spiced, walnut Carrot Cake with lemon zest cream frosting, and more.

Wish Me Vegan, 2435 Telegraph Rd., Oakland, CA 94612

At Wish Me Vegan, they say, “Our secret ingredient is passion…” and feel “…each bite is a celebration of flavor and sustainability.” There are many vegan Breakfast Burrito variations, all based on vegan scrambled eggs, many with some combination of soyrizo, beans, potatoes, avocado, vegan cheese, vegan sour cream, salsa, peppers, onions, vegan ground beef, and more. Burritos, Tacos, Enchiladas, Salads, Fajitas, Torta, Flautas, Alambres, and other dishes include choice of fillings such as Jackfruit BBQ, Vegan Al-Pastor, Vegan Sausage, Tofu, Shredded Beef or Chicken, Vegan Carne Asada, Vegan Parsley Chick’n, Soyrizo, or Beans. They have various Nacho and Fry plates as well. The Vegan Dessert Hub offers Belgian Chocolate Cheesecake, Key lime Cheesecake and Raspberry Lime Cake to note a few.

How many vegan and vegetarian adults are there in the United States asks The Vegetarian Resource Group and The Harris Poll in a 2026 survey.

See video at https://youtube.com/shorts/PZWJ1zKgrcM

Find more info on the poll at  https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/faq.htm#poll