photo from Fern Charlotte NC

The next time you’re in Charlotte, North Carolina, you might want to enjoy dinner at one of these vegan restaurants:

Bean Vegan Cuisine 3001 E. Independence Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28205

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!

Dee’s Vegan To Go 1540 West Blvd., Ste. 100, Charlotte, NC 28208

Vegan. Dee’s Vegan To Go restaurant is a family restaurant that strives to serve sustainable meals to all families. They work hand in hand with local farmers in North Carolina. They first opened back in 2016 at the Charlotte’s Regional Farmers Market. They even work with artisans to help them run their bakery and café, completely served with vegan ingredients. When it comes to what they have on their menu, you can slurp up their homemade lemonade drinks or gorge on their sweet potato spice cake desserts! For entrees they provide jambalaya, teriyaki “chicken,” and mac and cheese. They also make an array of soups and sandwiches.

Fern 1419 East Blvd., Ste. A, Charlotte, NC 28203

Vegan café. Fern features cauliflower wings, mac n cheese, BBQ sandwich, burrito, salads, soups, falafel, and much more.

Living Kitchen 2000 South Blvd. Ste. 300, Charlotte, NC 28203

Vegan/raw foods/organic. Living Kitchen offers fresh, organic, local foods that are mostly vegan (only exceptions are honey offered as a sweetener and bee pollen in one smoothie). Enjoy homemade nut milks (almond, coconut, and hemp), locally-roasted fair trade coffee, and multicultural, world music. Luna’s is located next to the Atherton Mill Farmer’s Market and Evolution Fitness.

Oh My Soul Café 3046 N. Davidson St., Charlotte, NC 28205

Vegan café. Oh My Soul Café has roots in South Africa. Stop by to see Oh My Soul Café’s unique, creative aesthetic and taste some of their burgers and ‘fully loaded sweet potatoes’, as well as waffles for brunch.

Plant Joy 1801 North Graham St., Ste. 101, Charlotte, NC 28206

Vegan. Plant Joy is a colorfully designed stall located at Camp North End, which is an old industrial space that houses restaurants, shops, and more. The menu is inspired by the Mediterranean Diet. So, the food is delicious, fresh, and healthy, with vegetables at the forefront. Some menu items include the Falafel Tower (plated nacho-style), Socca and Salad, which is like a crepe made from chickpeas, and Nice Caesar topped with a shiitake kebab. All of the food is sourced sustainably and plated beautifully.

Romeo’s Vegan Burgers 5518 South Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28217

Vegan/Burger Joint. Located in SW Charlotte near the 21/77, this all-vegan take on a classic drive-through burger joint offers fries, lemonades, milkshakes, and Beyond and Impossible burgers with Follow Your Heart cheese and homemade sauces, which they boast are good enough to win converts from meat-eating. Eat in the bright, classic diner style interior or take your food to go. They also have a food truck which will continue to travel around Charlotte: follow them on social media @romeosveganburgers to see where it will be next.

Sanctuary Bistro 6414 Rea Rd. Ste. C2, Charlotte, NC 28277

Vegan/bistro. Sanctuary Bistro’s menu is nothing short of inventive. This family-owned restaurant offers dishes such as beet salad, artichoke dip, garlicky greens, lasagna, jambalaya, black lentil Shepard’s pie, Kansas BBQ tofu, tiramisu, cheesecake, and much more.

If  you’re traveling elsewhere in the USA or Canada, be sure to visit our online restaurant guide: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

The Jewish Conservative Movement Has Ruled: Permissible to eat at non-kosher vegetarian, vegan restaurants

For more information, see The Jerusalem Post Article: https://www.jpost.com/judaism/article-743913

(Note that Conservative in this case does not mean political.)

Photo from Vegan Shoku

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:

Bakaris Plant Based Pizza, 576 Lee St., Ste. A, Atlanta, GA 30310

Dine on mouthwatering plant-based pizza and delicious plant-based burgers, as well as appetizers, salads, French fries, and specialty drinks. Outdoor seating also available.

Essential Smoothies, 1600 IL-50, Bourbonnais, IL, 60914

They offer many smoothies, teas, and other drinks, as well as burgers, Vegan Muddy Buddy dessert, and a “Build Your Own Smoothie.”

Koshary Corner, R House, 301 W. 29th St., Baltimore, MD 21211

Dine on traditional Egyptian food at this all vegan, gluten-free stall in R House located in the Remington neighborhood not far from Johns Hopkins Homewood Campus. Offerings include “Koshary,” the national dish of Egypt, a bowl consisting of rice (or quinoa), pasta, chick peas, lentils, vinaigrette, and crispy fried onions. Also try their Falafel salad with a choice of homemade dressings, Tofu and Quinoa Salad, Vegan Chicken Shawerma Bowl, Moussaka Bowl, Kofta Basket, Turkish coffee, and more.

Love.Life, 8900 Venice Blvd., Ste. 101, Culver City, CA 90232

Whole food, plant-based cuisine without unnecessary oils, sodium, and added sugar. Co-founded by Whole Foods Market co-founder John Mackey, the restaurant dinner options include numerous starters, extensive bowls, pizza, and entrees such as Shepherd’s Pie, Sweet Potato & Corn Tamale, and Mushroom Farro Risotto.

Native Foods, 3300 S. College Ave. #110, Fort Collins, CO 80525

Enjoy all-day breakfast sandwiches, salads, soups, burgers, bowls, and desserts. They also have a kid’s menu.

Vegan Bodega, 93 W. Main St., New Britain, CT 06051

Enjoy vegan Puerto Rican cuisine including salads, empanadas and sandwiches, and meals such as “Rice & Beans; Mac & Cheeze; Vegetable Fried Rice.

Vegan Shoku, 2260 W. 41st Ave., Vancouver, BC V6M 1Z8 Canada

Vegan Shoku’s menu is 100% vegan, but the breadth and depth of their offerings and the presentation of their dishes strongly rival those of traditional sushi establishments. A mere glance at their Instagram page demonstrates the artfulness of their plates. The menu ranges from Appetizers including Tofu Katsu and Calamari to Wraps such as the Tuna Poke, to Sashimi, Tempura, Oshizushi, Nigiri, and Rice Bowls (including one with Spam). Not in the mood to make a decision after a long day? Go with one of the Combination options, such as the Dynamite Combo that includes a Dynamite roll, salmon, tomato, baby corn, and inari. Sounds too good—or too fishy—to be true? Best to go and try and see for yourself!

The Vegetarian Resource Group is once again sponsoring a video contest. We will be awarding one $200 scholarship plus several $100 awards. The deadline for entries this year is July 15, 2023.

     Create and submit a video relating what you want to tell others about veganism. Some possible topics: food, nutrition, your feelings about veganism and/or vegetarianism, water usage and veganism, veganism and animal rights, or other veggie topics which appeal to you. Humor and feelings are appreciated. All videos should be positive, not be critical of anyone, and not include any footage of animal cruelty. You may submit a video you have already made.

     Aspects of judging include accuracy and judges wanting to share the video with others. Entrants give permission to The Vegetarian Resource Group to post and share the video, to link to and from the video, and share the video with the media.

To see the video contest rules, visit: http://www.vrg.org/videoscholarship.php

Previous wining videos can be found here: http://www.vrg.org/veg_videos.php

Photo from Jardin in Madison WI

The next time you’re in Madison, Wisconsin, you might want to enjoy dinner at one of these vegan restaurants:

Jardin Robinia Courtyard, 329 E. Washington Ave., Madison, WI 53703

Vegan. Enjoy a globally inspired dining experience with a rotating menu including snacks, starters, entrees, desserts, a full bar, and more. Some sample dishes have included Yuba Salad, Chickpea Curry, Blackened Tofu, and Cocoa Nib Brownie. Indoor and outdoor seating available (weather permitting).

Mother Fool’s Coffeehouse 1101 Williamson St., Madison, WI 53703

Vegan/coffeehouse. Serves soups, pastries, other baked goods, and more. Try an artichoke spinach roll, cold brew coffee, and chocolate bar to go. Enjoy live music on the weekend. Note they close at 5pm so enjoy an early dinner!

Sookie’s Veggie Burgers 502 State St., Madison, WI 53703

Vegan/Burger Joint. Besides burgers, other items on the menu include spinach chicken pesto sandwich, chicken sandwich, black bean chipotle burger, and fries. They also have desserts produced locally.

If  you’re traveling elsewhere in the USA or Canada, be sure to visit our online restaurant guide: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

Vegan Brownie at Four Seasons Resort Orlando

Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort has added new plant-based dishes on its menus Resort-wide. They worked in collaboration with Toronto-based plant-based chef consultant Natalie Prhat on several of the dishes. Some new additions include:

During breakfast hours, Ravello now serves Coconut Chia Pudding, Morning Power Salad, and a Vegan Breakfast Sandwich.

The lakeside restaurant PB&G has expanded its plant-based options with a Vegan Bruschetta, Summer Green and Quinoa Salad, Vegan Burger, and Jackfruit Tacos.

The In-Room Dining menu at the Resort was updated to include a Caribbean Jerk Tofu, a Jackfruit Cake that is a twist on a crabcake with jackfruit instead of crab, Roasted Za’atar Carrots, along with a Vegan Chocolate Brownie a la Mode for those with a sweet tooth.

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recently published a redesigned webpage about infant formula. The page is for consumers and the infant formula industry. In an announcement of the redesign, the FDA stated that “[this] is a first step toward improving accessibility of information to help parents, caregivers, and industry get the information they need about infant formula.”

The redesigned webpage includes information about different types of infant formulas including soy-based infant formula which would be used by vegans. It discusses FDA’s concerns about use of homemade infant formulas and advises parents and caregivers not to make or feed homemade infant formulas to infants. It also discourages use of “toddler formulas.” The webpage provides links to information about preparing and storing infant formula and to FAQs about infant formula.

We recommend that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months. If that isn’t possible, infants should be given commercial infant formula or a combination of commercial infant formula and breast milk. Vegan families typically use commercial soy-based infant formulas if exclusive breast feeding isn’t possible.

For more information about infant formula and about feeding vegan babies see:

Feeding Vegan Kids

Homemade Baby Formula is Not Recommended

Baby Formula Shortage

Angelina wrote: Rice, black beans, onion, red pepper, and cilantro. These are the ingredients of Gallo Pinto, a vegan recipe passed down to me from my mother, my grandmother, and many generations before them. Food heritage is meaningful to me: I see it as cultural preservation. From the seeds to our plates, food is more than just fuel. It’s a cultural pursuit rooted in know-how, transmitted from generation to generation. Food connects us to our ancestors’ stories and knowledge. To me, plant-based living strengthens my identity, reinforcing the strings that tether me to my past, my loved ones, and my legacy, despite time and distance.

I grew up on home-cooked traditional Costa Rican foods—with a plant-based twist. First made by my grandmother back in Heredia. Then by my mom in the United States. Our kitchen becomes a classroom when my mother cooks. I inherited my love for plant-based living from my mother and grandparents: descendants of farmers in Costa Rica. No one in my family went to college. Still, they taught me the power of plants and the multidimensional environmental impact on us and the planet. I decided to go vegan when I was 13 years old after learning about the devastating impact of animal agriculture on the environment, our health, and the ethical concerns around animal welfare.

When I started high school, I founded a plant-based club. During the last four years, at our meetings, we exchanged books, volunteered at local farms, and attended virtual panels with speakers examining the impact of plant-based diets. In 2019 I founded GreenMealsProject.org that provides plant-based breakfasts to people experiencing hunger in my hometown. I coordinate a group of 18 volunteers from my school, family, and neighborhoods. In the last three years, we volunteered 1,200 hours, donated 7,000 pounds of food, and raised $12,000. We distribute the plant-based breakfasts on Wednesdays before school starts. We’ve partnered with Trinity Center, a daytime shelter in Walnut Creek, California, to ensure direct access to help the people who benefit from our program the most.

Last summer, I applied for an internship to develop plant-based seafood alternatives at Current Foods. As an intern, I practiced texture profile analysis and chemical tests. I help create plant-based seafood to help minimize the effect of dietary greenhouse gas emissions.

This fall, I’ll attend Stanford University. While this scholarship will lessen the financial burden of my college education, it would be an honor to represent a scholarship and organization whose values align with my morals and lifestyle. I aspire to explore alternative protein classes, study Sustainable Food Systems, and research the future of agriculture at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. But ultimately, I want to be a global citizen who recognizes and respects the cultural diversity and ethical values of others while helping sustain and regenerate the environment through the power of food.

The deadline for high school seniors for The Vegetarian Resource Group college scholarships are February 20^th of each year. For details, see https://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group scholarships and internships, donate at www.vrg.org/donate

Located in the Cargo District of Wilmington, NC, Mess Hall (https://messhallilm.com/mess-hall-menu/) recently re-opened in their new location which offers family-friendly outdoor seating, a shared yard with the dog-park at Ruff Draft (https://ruffdraftilm.com/), and some delicious vegan eats. The vegan options are limited, but we’re hopeful that through encouragement from the local vegan community, Mess Hall will add a few more vegan options to their menu!

Mess Hall’s current vegan options include the Vegan Smash Burger: roll, veg patty, Kind Cultures vegan cheddar, lettuce, tomato, pickled onion, vegan secret sauce and Vegan Tots: tots, Kind Cultures vegan cheese, vegan secret sauce, pickled onions, green onions. Both feature Kind Cultures vegan cheese (kindculturesvegancheese.com), made locally in Wilmington!

A VRG volunteer local to Wilmington, has reached out to Mess Hall to ask them to add a vegan kids and breakfast option. Reaching out to your local restaurants to request vegan options is an easy and productive form of activism!

Location: 2136 Wrightsville, Ave., Wilmington, NC 28403

Telephone: 910-604-4927

Website: https://messhallilm.com/mess-hall-menu/

Facebook: https://facebook.com/mess.hall.ilm

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mess_hall_ilm/

photo from Neat Burger

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:

Betty’s, 3604 N. May Ave., Ste. E, Oklahoma City, OK 73112

Take-out salads, hot entrees, burger, tacos, desserts, smoothies, and Betty’s Lemonade.

Neat Burger, 25 Cleveland Pl., New York, NY 10012

Neat Burger is a trendy vegan burger joint with locations around the UK and now the USA. This is the perfect place for a quick vegan burger, hot dog, sandwich, salad, or shake! Their signature “Neat Burger” includes a double Neat Patty, vegan cheese, caramelized onions, tomato, lettuce, pickles, and their special Neat Sauce, served on a brioche bun. If you’re looking for something spicy, you can try their “Buffalo Chick’n” sandwich or a side of their “Spicy Corn Ribs.” Their specialty vegan shakes are made with a creamy oat base, and offer flavors such as Double Chocolate, Oreo, Strawberry, Caramel, or Original.

Southern Squeeze, 1301 Dorchester Rd., Ste. 101, Chattanooga, TN 37405

Southern Squeeze has a bright atmosphere with tons of greenery decor. They serve all juices, waffles, salads, sandwiches, smoothies, smoothie bowls, and even coffee and tea. Their most popular menu items include the “Aztec Bowl” with quinoa, housemade vegan taco “meat,” herb cashew cheese, avocado, seasonal veggies, and lime vinaigrette, as well as their vegan “Poke Bowl” with seasonal veggies, avocado, quinoa, kelp noodles, nori, and spicy vegan “mayo.” Southern Squeeze is right by Riverview Bird Sanctuary in Dorchester, TN!

Sun of a Vegan, The Hickory Ridge Mall, 3707 South Hickory Ridge Mall #458, Memphis, Tennessee 38115

A prime destination for vegan comfort food, Sun of a Vegan offers burgers, nachos, quesadillas, tacos, chili, and desserts. Be sure to try their Philly Cheesesteak, Oyster Mushroom Basket, Taco Trio, and Signature 5-Layer Lasagna. Their dishes are characterized as being flavorful, well-seasoned, and generously sized. Additionally, the storefront is wheelchair accessible and compostable containers are available.

The Baklava Lady Café & Bakery, 34 Main St., Englishtown, NJ 07726

Enjoy a large selection of soups, salad, sandwiches, snacks, many Turkish (e. g., Pomegranate Ricotta Birds Nest, Chocolate Hazelnut Baklava) and non-Turkish desserts, and a variety of hot and iced drinks.

Turkish-style baklava, brunch dishes, and baked goods made fresh daily. Baklava trays available for events.

UNiQ Burger, 7730 E McDowell Rd Suite 108-B, Scottsdale, AZ 85257

A no-frills burger joint with a simple but scrumptious menu. Don’t miss the Southwest Burger or the Fully Loaded Fries. The former had lots of fresh avocado and sauce, a good mixture of crunchy onion strings, lettuce, and onion, and just the right amount of spice due to jalapeños being folded into the bun. The fries seemed to be perfectly seasoned and prepared as well; they were hot and crispy but not too oily. Other sought-after options include the Ginger Salad, the UNiQ Burger, and the Parmesan Truffle Fries. Please note that gluten-free options are available and the location is wheelchair accessible.

Wild Heart Bistro, Belvedere Square Market, 529 E. Belvedere Ave., Stall M-2, Baltimore, MD 21212

Located in Belvedere Square Market near the Senator movie theater, Wild Heart Bistro offers a large selection of salads, sandwiches, bowls, and desserts. For example, try their Italian inspired Buddha Bowl or their Bean Burger. Seating is available in the building and outside, weather permitting.