By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Ripple Kids Milk is a vegan milk that was developed with an eye to the nutritional needs of children. Based on protein from yellow split peas, Ripple Kids Milk has more protein in a serving than most brands of plant milk including almond milk, oat milk, and rice milk. Its protein content is similar to that of soymilk with a cup of Ripple Kids Milk providing 8 grams of protein. A cup of this product has 140 calories and 8 grams of fat, only 1 gram of which is saturated fat. It is sweetened with cane sugar and has 5 grams of added sugar per cup.

Ripple Kids Milk is fortified with calcium, magnesium, riboflavin, vitamin B12, vitamin A, vitamin D, choline, and DHA. The product is free of gluten and nuts and is non-GMO Project verified. It provides an alternative to calcium/vitamin D/vitamin B12-fortified soymilk and is distinguished by supplying a couple of nutrients that tend to be low in vegan diets – DHA and choline. A cup of Ripple Kids Milk has 50 milligrams of DHA and 55 milligrams of choline. There is no RDA for DHA or choline; recommendations often suggest 200-300 milligrams of DHA and 250 milligrams of choline per day for children.

Ripple Kids should never be used to replace infant formulas and is not suitable for use as a primary beverage for children under a year of age.

To read more about Ripple Kids see: https://www.ripplefoods.com/kids/

To read more about pea protein see: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2018issue4/2018_issue4_nutrition_hotline.php

To read more about plant milks see:

https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/Guide_to_Soymilks_2019.pdf

https://www.vrg.org/nutrition/milk_alternatives/nut_and_seed_milk_table.pdf

https://www.vrg.org/nutrition/milk_alternatives/grain-and-pea-milks-2019-table.pdf

Many vegans dream of starting a food truck, or wonder why there isn’t a vegan food truck on every corner. This is an interesting article. While not about vegetarian food trucks, it is worth reading if food trucks interest you. See: https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-rickety-economics-of-food-trucks?utm_source=pocket-newtab

Also of interest would be: Marketing Food From A Vegan Food Truck https://www.vrg.org/blog/2021/07/26/marketing-food-from-a-vegan-food-truck/

Enjoy sweet chili tofu, cheesy garlic bread, wings, Mexican street corn, house made clam chowder, garden salad, buffalo chicken sandwich, vegan chicken parm, falafel wrap, vegan fish fillet, black bean w/ fries, and other delicious options. You’ll find a nice outdoor patio area with a beautiful view of the ocean. They are located at: 895 Quincy Shore Dr., Quincy, MA 02170 and are open Tuesday through Sunday for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Closed Monday.

More information on this restaurant can be found here:

https://gardenpatchma.com/  

https://www.facebook.com/gardenpatchatajs/

The Vegetarian Resource Group has a graphic called Burrito on My Plate, which shows viewers the water footprint of a vegan versus a meat-based burrito. It takes 225 gallons of water to make a vegan burrito without tofu and 253 gallons of water to make a vegan burrito with tofu. In comparison, it takes 541 gallons of water to make a beef burrito.

The Burrito on My Plate Graphic can be seen here: https://www.vrg.org/environment/BurritoOnMyPlate.pdf

The article detailing how we came up with the numbers of gallons of water needed to produce each type of burrito can be found here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2017issue2/2017_issue2_burrito_plate.php

Rainbow Kale and Grain Salad

Linda Tyler’s previous article published by VRG features Kale Salads. These recipes will inspire you to eat your greens! Find recipes for:

Thai-Inspired Coconut Kale Salad

Kale Tabbouleh

Pear Balsamic Salad with Candied Walnuts

Apple and Kale Salad with Curry Dressing

Kale Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

Rainbow Kale and Grain Salad

Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2021issue2/2021_issue2_kale_salads.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA, see: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Due to various factors, including supply chain issues, there is a shortage of baby formula in stores. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently provided guidance about what can be done if parents or caregivers cannot find baby formula. They point out that “this advice is strictly during this current URGENT formula shortage. If you have any concerns about your baby’s nutrition, please talk with your pediatrician.”

They addressed many scenarios including the use of plant-based milk. This information could be important for vegan and other families who are using a commercial soy formula and who absolutely cannot find formula. The American Academy of Pediatrics says, “Plant-based milk alternatives generally are not recommended for babies under a year of age. Soy milk may be an option to give babies who are close to a year old during the shortage, but not for more than one week. If you can’t find formula and have to use soy milk, be sure to buy the kind that is fortified with calcium and vitamin D. Make sure to change back to formula as soon as some is available. Be especially careful to avoid almond milk or other plant milks as these are often low in protein and minerals. Talk with your pediatrician if you are considering using plant-based milk.”

The contents of this posting, our 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.

VRG volunteer Chen Zeng recently participated in a virtual in-service The Vegetarian Resource Group did for University of Maryland dietetic interns working towards their registered dietitian certification. These are some vegan eggplant and Chinese recipes references he shared:
https://omnivorescookbook.com/di-san-xian-recipe/
https://thewoksoflife.com/traditional-chinese-vegan-dishes/
https://thewoksoflife.com/vegan-mapo-tofu/

Vegetarian Journal (now Vegan Journal) has ran two articles on vegan grilling that you might find helpful:

Gourmet Grilling by Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD includes grilling tips as well as recipes for Grilled Eggplant, Mediterranean Grilled Portobellos with Pine Nuts, Curried Barbecue Tempeh, Roasted Pepper and Eggplant Dip, Pineapple Peach Salsa, Japanese-Style Grilled Asparagus, Grilled Sweet Peaches, and Roasted Corn. See: https://www.vrg.org/journal/2002issue3/2002_issue3_gourmet.php

Nancy also wrote another article titled Outdoor Feast and it includes vegan recipes for the grill including Tofu and Potatoes Kebobs, Vietnamese “Beef” Salad, Lime and Chili “Steaks,” and Grilled Pineapple. See: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2015issue2/2015_issue2_outdoor_feasts.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA, visit: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Below is a list of some of the vegan chicken-style products available today.

Alpha Foods offers Original Chik’n Nuggets Sizzlin’ Spicy Chik’n. Chick’n Strips, Crispy Chick’n Patties, and Sizzlin’ Spicy Chik’n Patties. For more details, see: https://www.eatalphafoods.com/products#NUGGETS

BeLeaf produces Drumsticks, Half Chicken, Patties, Nuggets, and Crispy Nuggets. See: https://www.beleafvegan.com/MeatlessProducts.php

Better Chew offers Fried Chicken Nuggets. See: https://eatbetterchew.com/

Beyond Chicken offers Beyond Chicken Tenders. For details, see: https://www.beyondmeat.com/en-US/products/beyond-chicken-tenders

Daring Foods produces Plant-Based Chicken Pieces in several varieties including Original, Breaded, Cajun, and Lemon & Herb. For information, see: https://www.daring.com/

Field Roast sells Classic Nuggets and Buffalo Wings. See: https://fieldroast.com/products/

Gardein offers Ultimate Plant-Based Chick’n Tenders, Chick’n Fillets, and Chick’n Nuggets. They also offer Crispy Chik’n Sliders, Chick’n Patties, Golden Chick’n Nuggets, Nashville Hot Chick’n Tenders, Spicy Gochujang Style Chick’n Wings, and Chipotle Georgia Style Chick’n Wings, Chick’n Strips, Teriyaki Chick’n Strips, Seven Grain Crispy Tenders, Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick’n, Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Wings, Chipotle Lime Flavored Chick’n Tenders, and Lightly Seasoned Chick’n Scallopini. For details on all these products, see: https://www.gardein.com/chickn-and-turky

Hungry Planet produces Chicken Pattie sand Chicken Chipotle Patties. Visit https://www.hungryplanetfoods.com/ for information.

Impossible Foods sells Chicken Nuggets and Wild Nuggies. See: https://impossiblefoods.com/products/chicken

Jack & Annie’s offers Nuggets made from Jackfruit. See: https://www.jackandannies.com/our-products/nuggets/

Lightlife produces The breaded Plant-Based Chicken Tenders and Plant-Based Fillets. See: https://lightlife.com/our-food/?active_filter=chicken

Lily’s Vegan Pantry offers Ginger Chicken, Chicken Bites, Gong Bao Chicken, Teriyaki Chicken, Lemon Chicken, Smoked Drumsticks, Chicken Nuggets, Whole or Half Chicken, and Chicken Legs. See: https://www.lilysveganpantry.com/Vegan_Chicken_s/1516.htm

Morning Star Farms offers MorningStar Farms® Veggie BBQ Chik’n Nuggets; MorningStar Farms® Veggie Chik’n Nuggets; MorningStar Farms® Veggie Buffalo Chik Patties®; MorningStar Farms® Veggie Original Chik Patties®; MorningStar Farms® Veggie Zesty Ranch Chik’n Nuggets; and MorningStar Farms® Veggie Sweet Mustard Chik’n Nuggets. For details on these products, see: https://www.morningstarfarms.com/en_US/products/chikn.html

Skinny Butcher offers Crazy Crispy Chick’n Tenders and Nuggets. See: https://skinnybutcher.com/

Sweet Earth sells Frozen Vegan Mindful Chik’n. See: https://www.goodnes.com/sweet-earth/products/mindful-chikn/?tag=10951&category=8381

Tofurky sells Chick’n in several flavors including Lightly Seasoned, Thai Basil, Sesame Garlic, and Barbecue. For more information, see: https://tofurky.com/what-we-make/chickn/

VFC Foods offers Chick’n Fillets, Popcorn Chick’n, and Chick’n Bites. See: https://vfcfoods.com/en-us/

Debra Daniels-Zeller article titled Healthy Vegan Dishes on a Budget! provides tips on how to save money when preparing vegan meals and also shares recipes for:
Spicy Black Beans
Grilled Pepper and Quinoa-Millet Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
Zucchini-Corn Chowder with Tomatoes
Kidney Bean-Sweet Potato Stew
Lemon Cornbread
Lemon-Carrot Coleslaw
Tofu-Broccoli Noodle Bowl

You can read the entire article here:
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2017issue3/2017_issue3_dishes_budget.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal by visiting: http://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php