Sunflower seeds butter spread with roasted seeds photo from Freepik

by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

The WIC (Women, Infants, Children) Program, currently provides free healthy foods, breastfeeding support, nutrition education, and referrals to other services to low-income pregnant and post-partum people, infants, and children up to age 5. It provides participants with vouchers that are used to purchase specific foods that are identified as being nutritious. In 2024 the list of foods that can be purchased with WIC vouchers was revised.

The changes will be phased in over the 24 months from the publication of the final rule, with a few exceptions. One change was allowing individual WIC State agencies the option to authorize nut and seed butters as a substitute for peanut butter in two ways. WIC vouchers can be used for dry or canned legumes and/or peanut butter with 18 ounces of peanut butter equivalent to 1 pound dry legumes or 64 ounces of canned legumes. State agencies have the option of authorizing the replacement of peanut butter with nut or seed butter in a 1:1 ratio (1). In other words, 18 ounces of an approved nut or seed butter could be used to replace 18 ounces of peanut butter. State agencies also have the option of authorizing 18 ounces of nut and seed butters to substitute for each dozen eggs when individually tailoring food packages (1).

If a state agency authorizes the use of nut and seed butters as a substitute for peanut butter, the nut or seed butter can be creamy or chunky; regular or reduced fat; salted or unsalted. It cannot contain marshmallows, honey, jelly, chocolate, or similar ingredients. Nut or seed butters “must provide comparable nutritive value to peanut butter (i.e., protein and iron)” (2).

I was curious about how the iron and protein in selected nut and seed butters compares to peanut butter. So far, I have not seen a state list of WIC-approved foods that includes nut or seed butters.

According to USDA’s FoodData Central, 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter has 7.1 grams of protein and 0.56 milligrams of iron.

Here’s what FoodData Central (and, as indicated, product labels) report about some nut and seed butters:

Based on this comparison, sunflower seed butter, hempseed butter, and possibly almond butter look like the most likely candidates to serve as substitutes for peanut butter. We’ll continue to monitor and report on this as the changes to the WIC food packages are phased in.

References

1. Supplemental Foods. 7 CFR Part 246.10. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-II/subchapter-A/part-246/subpart-D/section-246.10. May 13, 2025.
2. USDA Food and Nutrition Services. WIC Food Packages – Regulatory Requirements for WIC-Eligible Foods. https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/food-packages/regulatory-requirements. May 15, 2025.

To read more about the WIC program see:

WIC Program Updates (2024)

WIC Program Updates: Do They reflect Changes Supported by VRG? (2024)

Plant-based Dairy Alternatives in the WIC Program (2024)

USDA Issues Final Rule Updating the WIC Program (2024)

The Vegetarian Resource Group Sent in Testimony on the Proposed Revision in the WIC Food Package (2023)

USDA Proposes Updates to the WIC Program (2022)

WIC Programs Offer Foods For Vegans (2020)

WIC Farmers Market Program (2020)

photo from Corkor

Are you looking to buy a non-leather vegan wallet? The following companies in the USA, Canada, and Europe all offer a variety of wallets for men and women.

USA

Doshi offers wallets for men and women.

Fabric Horse sells wallets for men and women.

Green Banana Paper sells wallets made out of banana leaves.

K Carroll sells wallets for women.

Labante has offices in the USA and United Kingdom and offer wallets for women and men.

Matt and Nat sells wallets for men and women. Ships internationally.

Mechaly sells a variety of women’s wallets.

Moo Shoes sells a variety of wallets for men and women.

Vegan Chic sells women’s wallets.

The Vegetarian Site sells hemp wallets.

CANADA

Jeane & Jax  is a Canadian company selling a wide variety of wallets for women.

Pixie Mood is a Canadian company that sells a variety of women’s wallets.

EUROPE

Corkor in Portugal sells wallets for men and women made out of cork.

Labante has offices in the USA and United Kingdom and offer wallets for women and men.

video camera photo from Freepik

The Vegetarian Resource Group is once again sponsoring a video contest. We will be awarding several $100 awards. The deadline for entries this year is July 15, 2025.

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. Please do not enter videos made completely using AI.

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

Butterbean Cacio e Pepe Risotto Phot by Hannah Kaminsky

Who doesn’t enjoy comfort food? In a recent issue of Vegan Journal, Amber Murtoff shares vegan recipes for Butterbean Cacio e Pepe Risotto; Sticky Ginger BBQ Bao Buns & Everything Bagel-Spiced Edamame; White Winter Focaccia Pizza; Butternut Squash Gnocchi; Mushroom Bourguignon; and Cozy Glow Bowl.

Find her recipes here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2025issue1/2025_issue1_comfort_food.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only here: https://www.vrg.org/member/

Sweet Taters and Greens photo by Rissa Miller

James Craig Thieman shares the following Skillet recipes in a previous issue of Vegan Journal:

Deconstructe Blackened “Fishy” Taco

Skillet Chili Mac

Italian-Style Eggplant on Zoodles

Kimchi Tofu Stir-Fry Veggies

Jackfruit BBQ and Slaw

Sweet Taters and Greens

Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2023issue1/2023_issue1_skillet_suppers.php

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

I was raised as a vegetarian for cultural reasons, but still used and consumed other animal products. In the summer after 6th grade, I was reflecting on human cruelty towards animals and realized that other animal products could be harmful to them too. I made the decision to switch. My parents became vegan, too, to support me, and two years later my sister also made the switch.

In the summer after seventh grade, I completed a training to become a Climate Reality Leader. As part of my leadership activities, I created a presentation about the environmental impact of methane, focusing on how agriculture contributes to climate issues, launched a 7-day “no meat” challenge in my neighborhood, and advertised it through the community newspaper.

In ninth grade I created 30 short videos addressing a different environmental impact of animal agriculture and advocating veganism. In 10th grade, I joined Cool Irvine, volunteering to lead the plant-based diet booth at the Cool Irvine Sustainability Fair. I created an infographic explaining why a vegan lifestyle to distribute to Fair visitors. By 11th grade, I was encouraging plant-based options as part of my school’s actions in the Cool Irvine High School Green Challenge, in which our team placed 2nd in the city. The next year I completed an internship with The Vegetarian Resource Group, where I contributed to their online veggie restaurant guide that lists locations offering vegan options, and interviewed former and current interns. I reviewed interns’ collected data on nutrition information for 79 plant-based milk products and collected my own for coconut milks, with which I did statistical analysis for the organization’s research.

In college I plan to pursue environmental science and restore damaged habitats. My love for animals and nature are inseparable, and I will carry both passions with me in college.

Support Young Veg Activists
To send support for additional scholarships and internships, donate at www.vrg.org/donate or call (410) 366-8343. You can also send a donation to VRG, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

Do you know an amazing high school student who promoted veganism? If so, let them know about our annual scholarship contest. The deadline for high school seniors is February 20th of each year. To see scholarship rules and past winners, visit www.vrg.org/student/scholar

photo from istock

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

A friend confided that she was trying to reduce her sodium intake because her blood pressure is elevated and she’s trying, with her doctor’s approval, to see if she can lower it through diet.  As we talked, I realized, that, despite being open to the idea of reducing sodium, she wasn’t sure what changes to make.  She’s already on the right track – she doesn’t use many processed foods and she eats a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables and she enjoys cooking. Here are some ideas I shared with her.

1. Read the Nutrition Facts section of the label. Different companies have products that vary in sodium content. Even if the label doesn’t say “low sodium,” you may find a product that is lower in sodium than its competitors. For example, looking at a supermarket shelf of canned beans, I found a range of 90-450 milligrams of sodium per ½ cup serving. Choose the lowest sodium product and you’ve saved as much as 360 milligrams of sodium.
2. Drain and rinse canned beans.  You may have noticed that many recipes in Vegan Journal call for canned beans, drained and rinsed. The reason we suggest this is that up to 40% of the sodium in a canned product can be rinsed away. So, if you choose a can of beans with a label value of 200 milligrams of sodium, you can reduce the sodium by as much as 80 milligrams by draining and rinsing the beans.
3. Add no salt added tomato sauce to jarred pasta sauce.  Jarred vegan pasta sauce can be a convenience whether you’re using it to top a pizza crust, in vegan lasagna, or tossed with pasta.  You can reduce its sodium content by mixing it with purchased no salt added tomato sauce in the ratio of your choice – 1 cup tomato sauce to 1 cup pasta sauce, 2 cups tomato sauce to 1 cup pasta sauce, etc. Add a little oregano and basil, if you like. If you decide to use the 1:1 ratio of pasta sauce to tomato sauce, you’ve reduced the sodium in a ½ cup serving of pasta sauce from, say, 470 milligrams to 255 milligrams.
4. Mix salty snacks with unsalted snacks.  If you like to snack on salted nuts or salted pretzels, buy a bag of unsalted nuts or unsalted pretzels and make your own reduced sodium mix. You can adjust the ratio of salted product to unsalted product and as you get used to eating food with less salt, you may find that you’re using much more of the unsalted product and less of the salted one. If you start with a 1:1 ratio, you might save 75 milligrams of sodium in a ¼ cup serving of nuts or as much as 250 milligrams of sodium in a 1 ounce serving of pretzels.
5. Toss the flavoring packet.  Products like ramen noodles are convenient but they are super salty. Much of their salt comes from the flavoring packet. You can discard it and flavor the noodles with a low sodium spice blend. If that’s not an option, start by using just a small bit of the seasoning packet and taste before adding more. If you’re eating a package of ramen noodles, you could reduce their sodium from 730 milligrams to 25 milligrams just by discarding the unopened flavoring packet.
6. Make your own condiments. Salad dressings, barbecue sauce, salsa, even catsup can be sources of lots of sodium. While you may not want to make all of these products, choosing a couple that you use frequently and finding recipes for them where you control the added salt (and use reduced sodium ingredients where possible) can cut sodium markedly. For instance, a commercial barbecue sauce might have 300-400 milligrams of sodium per 2 Tablespoons. Making your own with tomato paste could give you a product with 20 milligrams of sodium per 2 Tablespoons. There are some commercial reduced sodium barbecue sauces, but I could only find one kind in area stores.
7. Find or make a low-sodium vegetable broth. Many vegan recipes call for vegetable broth.  Aseptically packaged vegan broths could have 600 milligrams or more of sodium per cup.  Vegan broth base or bouillon could result in broth with as much as 800 milligrams of sodium per cup of broth.  You could make your own broth using fresh vegetables and adding little or no salt, use a commercial low-sodium vegan broth, or you could replace the broth called for in a recipe with 1 part of regular commercial broth and 1 part of water (or even more water and less broth). If you’re working with a well-seasoned recipe, it’s likely that you won’t even notice that you didn’t use as much broth as was called for. Replacing a cup of commercial vegan broth with a cup of low-sodium vegan broth could save as much as 680 milligrams of sodium.
8. Flavor food creatively. Salt is often added to commercial products as an inexpensive way to flavor food instead of using more expensive herbs and spices for flavor. If you do your own cooking, you can change that. Experiment with herbs, spices, vinegars, fruit juices, and other ingredients to enable you to cut the salt without sacrificing flavor.
9. When using a recipe, don’t feel bound to use the amount of salt called for. I’ve found that in many recipes I can use half or even less of the salt in the recipe without noticing it. You can always add salt but it’s hard to take it out once it’s been added to a dish. Many of our recipes in Vegan Journal call for salt to taste, encouraging the person preparing the recipe to use their own judgement rather than relying on someone else’s idea of how salty a dish needs to be. If you don’t add a lot of salt to a recipe, people can add the amount of salt that they like at the table.
10. Be aware of salty ingredients like miso, soy sauce, tamari, and liquid aminos. If the recipe has these ingredients, it probably doesn’t need additional salt added. And, just as you might do with table salt, taste the dish before adding salty ingredients – it’s likely that you won’t need as much as the recipe calls for.

Tempeh Stroganoff photo by Hannah Kaminsky

Tempeh hails from Indonesia where it is still eaten by people of all walks of life. Tempeh is made fresh daily by thousands of small family-run shops and sold within hours of completion. Soy tempeh is simply made from soybeans, water, and a culture.

In a recent edition of Vegan Journal, Seth Tibbott introduces several tempeh recipes including Finger Lickin’ Tempeh; Low-sodium Tempeh; Marian’s Tempeh Stroganoff; Tempeh Salad; and Tequila Tempeh.

Find the recipes here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2025issue1/2025_issue1_tempeh.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only here: https://www.vrg.org/member/

The Vegetarian Resource Group has an extensive section on their website in Spanish. Feel free to share this information: https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/information_in_Spanish.htm

Sample topics included are:

Recetas Veganas – Vegan Recipes

La Dieta Vegana – Vegan Diet and Nutrition

istockphoto

Are you looking for new ideas on how to prepare leafy greens? Here’s some recipes from Vegan Journal to help you out.

Cooking with Leaves
Chef Nancy Berkoff offers the following recipes:
Dolmathes
Rolled Caesar Salad
Spanish-Influenced Stuffed Cabbage
Lettuce Stuffed with Garlic and White Beans
Romaine Stuffed Cabbage
Almost-Stuffed Cabbage
Peanut-Veggie Rollies
Savory Rice in Lotus Leaves

The Green Scene
Mary Clifford provides these recipes:
Warm Curried Greens and Pasta
Country-Style Greens
Greens and Apples
Braised Bok Choy with Mushrooms
Creamy Rice and Greens Casserole
Greens Quiche

How to Cook Mouthwatering Greens
Cynthia Laier gives readers several recipes:
Watercress Salad with Creamy Ginger Dressing
Tofu-Kale-Mustard-Dill Supper Pie
Bok Choy and Buckwheat Noodles in Garlic Ginger Broth
Szechwan Tempeh with Swiss Chard
Golden Potato and Collard Green Soup

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Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal