The Vegetarian Resource Group is a vegan activist non-profit organization that does outreach all-year-long. For example, VRG tables at different events throughout the USA and also sends literature free of charge to other groups/individuals doing educational activities in schools, hospitals, camps, restaurants, libraries, offices, etc. Our ability to continue doing this depends on people like you! Your donations allow us to promote the vegan message whenever we’re called upon for assistance. Please consider becoming a monthly or quarterly donor to The Vegetarian Resource Group.

Thanks so much for your support. You can become a monthly or quarterly donor online here: vrg.org/donate

The Vegetarian Resource Group maintains an online Guide to Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in the USA and Canada. Below are some recent 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:

Alice

40 Adeline St.

Ottawa, ON K1S 3L3 Canada

From the mind of Chef Briana Kim, Alice is an upscale vegan restaurant with beautifully plated dishes which you’ll find nowhere else. Call well in advance for reservations. This would be great for a date night, or for special occasions which call for something more high-end.

Foodhisattva

2158 South Taylor Rd.

Cleveland Heights, OH 44118

Here we have a vegan pop-up that’s decided to settle down. Located in Cleveland Heights, Foodhisattva serves American food with a Asian twist, like their Bangkok Tacos, Bulgogi Cheesesteak, and Chick’n Katsu Sando. You can follow them on Facebook or Instagram as well to get updates about their specials.

Fork My Life

6558 Gateway Ave.

Sarasota, FL 34231

Fork My Life is both a vegan cafe and a vegan bakery, which is great for those of us looking for something both savory and sweet. The menu includes hot sandwiches like the grilled cheeze or chick’n parm sandwich, small plates like mac and cheeze and loaded nachos, and a variety of cupcakes and cookies too numerous to list. They also have custom smoothies, and even vegan milkshakes! They even sell artisan vegan meats and cheeses.

Plant Matter Café

717 Richmond St.

London, ON Canada N6A 3H1

A restaurant’s name doesn’t always clearly communicate what you’ll find there, but it does at Plant Matter Café. Entrees include classic cafe fare like Cubano sandwiches, cobb salads, and avocado toasts. The drinks are what make this cafe stand out, however. It’s not just coffee that’s available, but also juice shots, smoothies, and a full bar.

The Boombox Bakeshop

520 Adelaide St.

London, ON N6B 3J4 Canada

The Boombox Bakeshop is a vegan bakery offering daily cupcakes and special order cupcakes and cakes. Flavor options abound, from your basic chocolate and vanilla, to lemon lavender, maple pecan, and more! Plenty of gluten free options are available as well.

Urban Beets Kitchen and Juice Bar

5616 Olde Wadsworth Blvd.

Arvada, CO 80002

The menu rotates daily at Urban Beets, an eclectic vegan restaurant and juice bar. There are a few regular items (there’s often an avocado toast du jour), but what’s available depends more on what’s in stock. Prior entrees have included kung pao, tempeh riblets, roasted cauliflower and mushroom fajitas, wet-style breakfast burritos, and on and on. They also have beer and cocktails, including vegan Bloody Marys. Check them out if you’re looking for something a bit different.

If you or someone you know is vegan and thinking of having children, this brochure would be extremely helpful: https://www.vrg.org/nutrition/vegan_pregnancy_brochure.pdf

Included you’ll find vegan nutrition information on the basic needs during pregnancy, basic needs during breastfeeding, as well as the basic needs for infants, toddlers, and school-age kids. There’s also a sample vegan meal plan for vegan pregnancy, a vegan feeding schedule for babies ages 4-12 months, and diet plans for children at various ages.

Doshi was founded to provide smart, fashionable, and quality vegan bags and accessories. We meet the needs of ethically and environmentally conscious professionals and fashionistas.

See more at https://doshi.shop
For a 15% discount on your first order over $50, use discount code vrg15

Some jobs require special safety boots be worn. Several vegan companies offer a variety of vegan work boots.

Ethical Wares in the United Kingdom sells a safety boot as well as a chainsaw boot. See: https://www.ethicalwares.com/footwear/safety-footwear/

Nice shoes out of Canada sells safety shoes and boots. See: https://niceshoes.ca/catalog/unisex-footwear/csa-safety-shoes

Vegetarian Shoes in the United Kingdom sells a safety boot with a steel toe. See: https://www.vegetarian-shoes.co.uk/unisex/airseal_safety_boot_mk2_black/14716_p.html

The Vegetarian Site in the USA sells women’s and men’s steel-toe safety boots made in the United Kingdom. See: https://www.thevegetariansite.com/cgi-bin/miva?Merchant2/merchant.mv+Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=S&Category_Code=safety

By Emily Carter, VRG intern

Christopher Place Employment Academy of Baltimore is a program through Catholic Charities which aims to educate and train previously homeless men so that they may build the skills and finances to succeed in their communities. I had the pleasure of meeting a fine group of these men when I went with Vegetarian Resource Group volunteer Marcy Schveibinz to help her teach a weekly vegan cooking class. When Marcy and I arrived, we were greeted with smiles and curiosity; the attitude in the building was so positive and homey.

Everyone knows and loves Marcy and they were so excited to hear what she was going to be cooking up next. On that day, vegan mac and cheese was on the menu! The class included meal prep, cooking, and nutrition advice, like where to get certain vitamins and how to read labels. As we were cooking, we all talked about various aspects of veganism including the differences in nutrition of plant-based and animal-based products. Their homework assignment, which was to look over a climate-related pamphlet, sparked conversations about environmental impacts and speciesism as well. Though there were serious topics, humor and understanding cleared away inhibitions.

Preparing meals together has always been a way for people to unite and nourish each other’s stomachs and souls. This was no different, and although many of the men concluded that they would rather make ‘normal’ mac and cheese instead of the vegan version, we left happy knowing that they could revisit veganism at any time and not be completely clueless. This environment seemed the most productive for bringing in an idea such as veganism because there was no risk and the reward was yummy free food! Though the group was not willing to drop the hat and declare veganism right away, they made an open and honest effort to understand why and how to be vegan. For me, all it took was the tiniest bit of information for me to eventually reach my own vegan conclusion. My experience at Christopher Place made me realize that the smallest of actions can bring about some of the greatest change.

For information on The Vegetarian Resource Group internships, see https://www.vrg.org/student/index.php

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group education, donate at www.vrg.org/donate

The Vegetarian Resource Group has produced many materials relating to the environment. Some items include:

Organic Farming from the Farmers Point of View https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2010issue2/2010_issue2_farmers_view.php

Factors Involved in Calculating Grain:Meat Conversion Ratios https://www.vrg.org/environment/grain_meat_conversion_ratios.php

Burrito on My Plate: The Water Footprint of a Vegan versus a Meat Burrito https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2017issue2/2017_issue2_burrito_plate.php

To see other articles, visit: https://www.vrg.org/environment/

To support this type of research, please donate to The Vegetarian Resource Group here: www.vrg.org/donate   

Cynthia King Dance Studio in the USA sells vegan ballet shoes on their website: https://cynthiakingdance.com/veganballetslippers

They presently offer two different styles. One comes in pink in both child and women adult sizes and the other comes in pink and in black for adults only. They will ship the shoes internationally.

Recent discussion topics include:

– How if any has your child’s school made any improvements in offering more fruits and vegetables or even vegan/ vegetarian options?

One parent in Florida said: My son’s school does Meatless Monday’s, a daily salad bar, and labels vegan items on the monthly menu with a V. They also have a ‘healthy school policy’ – no junk food or sugary drinks, and birthdays are not celebrated with food. Another parent indicated: My children’s elementary school added a salad bar this year and it’s been a big hit. It’s included with the meal or 50 cents ala cart. Now my daughter loves raw spinach and broccoli. And another parent said: My daughter’s school was forced into making vegan choices as there was another kid with a dairy allergy. However they needed a lot of help on what was considered vegan.

– Vegetarian Resource Group Nutrition Advisor Reed Mangels, PhD, RD recently answered a parent’s question on vitamin B12. We posted information on this.

-Plus more!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/VRGparentsandkids/ is intended to be a group that offers support for families raising children on vegan diets and for vegan kids. We envision it as a place to get advice about a wide-variety of topics: pregnancy, birthday parties, school lunches, Halloween, non-leather apparel, cruelty-free products, summer camps, and more. Please use it as a place to share your wisdom, seek advice, or just find a sympathetic ear. The goal is to offer support.

Consequently, any profane, defamatory, offensive, or violent language will be removed. Feel free to disagree, but do so respectfully. Hateful or discriminatory comments regarding race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or political beliefs will not be tolerated. We expect that posts should relate to vegan diets and lifestyles. The Vegetarian Resource Group reserves the right to monitor all content and ban any user who posts in violation of the above rules, any law or regulation, SPAM, or anything otherwise off topic.

Please share this information with any veggie families that you know! Thanks.

Nothing beats eating a delicious vegan meal outdoors. If you’re looking for some new ideas of dishes to prepare for a picnic, here’s some recipes from Vegetarian Journal to get you started.

Nava Atlas shared recipes for Herbed Potato Salad, Pinto Beans with Watercress or Arugula, Dried Tomato Tapenade, Lemony Blueberry Muffins, Corn Relish Salad, Couscous Tabbouleh, Chunky Bean Spread, and Chocolate Chip-Raisin Blondies. See: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2002issue2/2002_issue2_picnic.php

Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD, offers recipes for Salsa Five Ways, Baked Spinach Rice, Salad Niçoise, Picnic in a Bread Bowl, Seven Layered Salad in a Jar, and Caesar Salad. See: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2017issue2/2017_issue2_picnic_feasts.php

Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal in the USA only by visiting https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

You can also subscribe to the Kindle version of Vegetarian Journal in the USA and United Kingdom.

In the USA, visit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LBY2Y7K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544727482&sr=8-1&keywords=B07LBY2Y7K In the United Kingdom, visit: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07LBY2Y7K/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1544731957&sr=8-1&keywords=B07LBY2Y7K