By Whitney Gray, VRG Intern

Georgia College is a small liberal arts college located in
Milledgeville, Georgia. As to be expected in an area where even the
healthiest of foods are drenched in butter, I have known Georgia
College’s dining hall to do much of the same. While the dining hall and
surrounding restaurants on or near the campus can be very vegetarian
friendly, it can leave a vegan wondering if there are any vegan options
that can be created. Fortunately with a little creativity, eating on
campus can be not only possible, but filling as well.

Vegan options at Georgia College’s dining hall, which is called The Max,
are few but I’m happy to have found that it has expanded since my
freshman year of attendance. What’s even more convenient is that now,
students can visit https://georgiacollege.sodexomyway.com and not only
view the menu for the upcoming week, but the menu also specifically
labels vegetarian options with a “V” and vegan options with a “VG.”

The Max is split up into several sections. You have the deli where you
can build a sandwich like at Subway, entrées that would be considered a
comforting home cooked meal, the grill for a typical burger with fries,
international where they serve cuisines from different cultures and
countries from day to day, daily pizza and pasta, and then a salad bar
with a daily soup. Not much of the menu is labeled vegan, but often the
entrée section will have sides like summer squash or steamed brown rice.
At the bottom of each day’s menu, there’s a small entirely
vegetarian/vegan section that usually showcases dishes with lentils or
wheat berries and also hummus, potato dishes, and other vegetable
medleys. Of course, you can go to the salad bar as well. It has typical
toppings that you might find at any buffet salad bar. Vegan students can
fill up on steamed veggies, different grain and bean mixes, and salads.
It might not be as exciting as a meal you can make at home, but the
vegan options actually can be built into a meal of whole vegan foods
that will help you get through the day.

When venturing outside of the dining hall, Georgia College’s campus
provides a few restaurants: Chick-fil-A, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Subway,
and Books and Brew. Of course with eating out it’s hard to be sure of
every ingredient and condition the food was cooked in, so you’ll have to
decide for yourself if you’re comfortable eating there or not.

Chick-fil-A and Subway sit side by side in a small dining area. Some
snacks are available for purchase such as Miss Vickie’s kettle chips and
Lay’s chips. You just have to check the labels to make sure there are no
animal products, but the plain flavors I’ve had were fine. There are
also fruit cups and juices. At Chick-fil-A, students can grab some fries
as a snack and head over to Subway and create a veggie delight sandwich
or salad. At Subway, you can pile on veggies and avocado to create a
filling meal. One of my favorite treats in the morning was to go to
Einstein’s and get a cinnamon raisin bagel with peanut butter or you can
choose from hummus and fruit preserves and any of the other bagels
without milk, honey, or dairy. A quick internet search will tell you
what you can choose from. Books and Brew was also a favorite morning
stop of mine. They have a great selection of Tazo brand teas and you can
even make it into a latte with soy milk. They also have fruit and chips
on sale as well as pb&j sandwiches.

There’s even more options when venturing to the downtown Milledgeville
area that’s located right next to the main campus. Just across the
street you will find Barberitos where I have purchased many of my
lunches throughout my college career. For a vegan, any place designed to
build your own meal is a life saver. You can build a burrito, burrito
bowl, salad, tacos, or just get some chips and salsa. They have brown
and white rice, black and pinto beans labeled vegan friendly on the
site, tofu, various veggies, salsa, and guacamole. I spoke with a
Barberitos representative hoping to confirm that the beans are vegan and
she said that they were and are cooked in water, salt, and spices. One
other surprising gem was the campus bookstore which offers plenty of
vegan labeled snack bars, cookies, chips, and drinks.

While Georgia College isn’t exactly a vegan Mecca, I still found it easy
to be vegan for the few years I lived on this campus. Vegan meals aren’t
specifically showcased, but they are definitely accessible when you look
into what’s actually offered, even if you have to piece a meal together.
Snacks are also available for when you bring your own meal but need
something extra. I had no issue keeping it vegan, even in a small
southern town.

Check out these allergen and ingredient guides to check for animal
products at these chains:

http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Food/Healthful-Lifestyle
http://www.einsteinbros.com/images/docs/EBB_Nutrition.pdf
http://www.subway.com/en-us/menunutrition/nutrition
http://www.barberitos.com/food_allergens

The contents of this article, website, and our other publications,
including Vegetarian 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.

By Whitney Gray, VRG Intern

Stepping into NuVegan Cafe was an entirely new experience for me. It wasn’t just my first time visiting them in particular. I’m from a very small town in Georgia with hardly any restaurants with vegan options, so it was my first time dining at a restaurant that didn’t serve meat, let alone one with an entirely vegan menu. Needless to say, I was extremely excited, which completely blocked out the terror I had driving through D.C. to get there. What’s interesting about NuVegan is that they serve their food buffet style. This had me a bit skeptical. Buffets have been the bane of my existence since transitioning to veganism. I’ve had plenty of well-meaning family members and friends take me out to buffet restaurants thinking there had to be at least one thing I can eat on an “all you can eat” menu. All I can eat turns out to be a dry salad and maybe some vegetables if they’re steamed instead of sautéed in butter. Obviously a vegan restaurant wouldn’t have this problem, but I still found myself having flashbacks of a sea of blandness.

NuVegan Cafe, however, delivered in a way I couldn’t have imagined. First the man behind the counter was incredibly friendly and was happy to describe all the dishes to me and how they “veganized” the ones typically made with animal products elsewhere such as their Vegan Chik’n Drummies. What was also great was that they had tiny cups to let you sample some of the dishes so you’d know if you liked it before they serve it to you. I found myself enamored with a vibrant spread with everything from vegan soul food reminiscent of the dishes I used to enjoy every Thanksgiving or Christmas like candied yams and mac and cheese to raw options like a carrot soufflé, artichokes, or marinated kale. For once, I didn’t have to ask twenty questions before ordering, and this was the perfect spot to introduce me into the world of vegan restaurants.

After sampling a few delectable vegetable sides that were well seasoned with a little bite to them still instead of being limp and overcooked, I went straight to the dishes I was eyeing the entire time. After sampling a bit of mac and cheese and lasagna, I fell madly in love. I’ve spent my last three years as a vegan trying to perfect the vegan versions of my two old favorites and coming close, but not quite there. I don’t know what NuVegan Cafe did, but the mac and cheese was the perfect combination of creamy, but with the baked, hearty texture that I’ve always loved and the lasagna had the right amount of tang in the sauce that blended beautifully with what looked like tofu “ricotta” and a cashew “cheese.” For the first time ever at a buffet, I wanted to and could eat everything, but they have you select one entrée and two sides as a meal. After selecting the lasagna, the mac and cheese, and a squash and pepper medley, I paid at the counter and took a seat in their dimly lit and cozy dining area and savored each bite. Since they serve it in a paper to go carton, I could easily close up what I couldn’t finish and head out.

I highly recommend NuVegan Cafe if you’re a vegan missing some of your old comfort foods or anyone looking to discover that we don’t just eat kale. But if you do just eat kale, they easily make that delicious too. My only regret is that I didn’t pick up one of the giant cinnamon buns I saw another girl leave with, but I’ll remember that for next time.

NuVegan Cafe is located at 2928 Georgia Avenue in Washington, D.C. where I visited and also at 8150 Baltimore Ave in College Park, Maryland. They are open Monday – Thursday 11am – 9pm, Friday – Saturday 11am – 10pm, and Sunday 10am-7pm.
For more information see: http://nuvegancafe.com/

202-232-1700 Washington, D.C.
240-553-7567 College Park, Maryland
For more information about other vegan/vegetarian restaurants around the U.S. and Canada, see The Vegetarian Resource Group’s Online Restaurant Guide at: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant

The Vegetarian Resource Group will be tabling at both the Charlottesville VA VegFest and DC VegFest this coming http://buylevitra.net weekend. Stop by our booth if you’re attending either event!

For more information on these events, see:
http://www.cvillevegfest.org/#date
http://dcvegfest.com/

2016 has been a very productive year so far for The Vegetarian Resource Group. Here’s a sampling of some of our accomplishments and outreach:

-Nancy Berkoff’s Vegan in Volume published by VRG has been distributed to thousands of food service personnel
in different settings. This encourages chefs to serve more vegan food options in universities, hospitals, employee cafeterias, nursing homes, and other places. Nancy also developed vegan recipes for Our Daily Bread in Baltimore, which serves over 700 meals per day to homeless and low income individuals. About 10% requested veggie meals. VRG interns prepared and donated 9 foodservice size trays of vegan food using Nancy’s recipes.

-We continue to work with numerous High School and College interns in our Baltimore office including three future Registered Dietitians and a student visiting from Germany. VRG Nutrition Advisor Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, mentors those interns who are interested in pursuing a career in nutrition. VRG staff also works with students that are majoring in English, Journalism, Business, and other subjects. These students are the future of the vegan movement and we should all be excited about what they will bring to the cause once they graduate.

-The Vegetarian Resource Group assisted media (print, web, radio, tv, etc.) including Family Circle magazine for an article on children who decide to go veggie; NPR member station KUT in Austin, TX about the public’s increased interest in vegan diets and PBS 8 in Phoenix Arizona about vegan options for Thanksgiving; Consumer Report on Health about reducing meat for health benefits; Dr. Don Radio Show about veggie pregnancy and lactation; On the Menu, a radio podcast, on the topics of why people go veggie and VRG poll information; Grocerant magazine about what vegans would like to see in the prepared section of grocery stores; and Baltimore Business Journal about the history of The Vegetarian Resource Group.

-VRG has done numerous outreach booths including at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in Boston, MA; GreenFest in Washington, DC; Natural Products Expo East in Baltimore, MD; Taking Action for Animals in VA; Charlottesville and Richmond, VA VegFests; Vegan SoulFest in Baltimore, MD; Albany VegFest in NY; NH Dietetic Meeting in Concord, NH; Veggie Pride Parade in NYC; New England VegFest in Worcester, MA; etc. VRG Nutrition Advisor Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, spoke at state dietetic meetings in NH, FL, and AZ and gave a webinar on ‘Vegetarian Diets for Older Adults’ for members of the Healthy Aging Dietetic Practice Group.

-The Vegetarian Resource Group provided vegan handouts free-of-charge for outreach in a wide variety of locations including a box of literature to be shared with a High School women’s basketball team in California; 500 Save our Water Brochures for tabling at an Earth Day event in Houston, TX; several hundred handouts to Animal Advocates of Western New York for a local Health Expo; a thousand brochures for leafletting in NYC; and hundreds of handouts for state dietetic meetings in NH, WA-OR, and NE.

Your support is greatly appreciated! You can also donate directly to VRG at www.vrg.org/donate

BY CASEY BROWN

I transferred to the University of Maryland, College Park from Georgia Southern University during my sophomore year, and I was immediately overwhelmed with the number of vegan options there were on this campus. Coming from a rural school in the south, I was not used to having a selection of vegan options other than some fresh fruit or a side salad. Since I transferred to UMD as a sophomore, I never ate in the dining halls on campus. However, the Assistant Director of UMD Dining Services, Bart Hipple, was kind enough to inform me about the various vegan options that are offered on campus.

Students who live in traditional housing on campus are required to have a meal plan.These are unlimited meal plans for each of the three dining halls: The Diner, South Campus Dining Hall, and 251 North Dining. Within each of the dining halls, students have access to many vegan options including quinoa, pasta, soups, salads, smoothies, and more

Each of the dining halls allows students to select from a variety of foods. For breakfast students have access to cereal with soy milk, bagels, vegan cream cheese, a vegan smoothie, and multiple other options. The lunch and dinner menu is very vegan friendly, and students can opt for pasta with tofu and veggies, stir-fry, vegan soup options that rotate throughout the week, beans and bean salad, lentils, a salad bar with a variety of fresh fruit, veggies, beans, dressings, and grains, and much more. Sprouts is a fully vegan station within The Diner and their menu is offered in each of the dining halls. They serve vegan versions of chicken, burgers, tuna salad, beef chile, and more. By making a combination of these foods, students will have access to a wide variety of vegan meals

Students are also welcome to contact dining services to discuss the options that are available in the dining halls, so they can become more familiar with the menu. Dining services is willing to work with students individually to determine foods that they can eat according to their dietary preferences. UMD posts the dining menus online, and it specifies whether or not certain items are vegan. You can view the menus here http://dining.umd.edu. In addition to their online menus, they have electronic menus within the dining halls that state whether an item is vegetarian/vegan friendly.

For students that are not on the meal plan, there are plenty of restaurants located in STAMP and additional cafes throughout campus. The STAMP Student Union has a variety of chain restaurants including Moby Dick, Subway, and Saladworks, which offer vegan options. Moby Dick has a hummus appetizer, salads, falafel, a veggie platter, and veggie kabobs with rice. (Be sure to specify no cheese or side of yogurt cucumber dressing with these options). At Subway you can easily customize a sandwich loaded with vegetables, and Saladworks allows you to customize your own salad as well. Taco Bell even released a vegetarian menu recently that can easily be customized for vegan options. These include multiple burritos, a veggie bowl, or beans and rice. By removing the cheese and certain dressings, these options can be made vegan-friendly.

If you are in a hurry, you can always grab some trail mix, fresh fruit, or other snacks from the Union Shop. There are also thirteen cafes located on campus, which are supplied with fresh vegan options daily. These include sushi, salads, sandwiches, and various other snacks you can take on the go.

The MD Food Co-op is located in the basement of STAMP, and it is the perfect place to visit if you are looking for vegan food. They offer a daily hot special, which ranges from burritos to ‘make your own tacos.’ They also have fresh-made sandwiches and salads, which include a falafel wrap/salad, a TLT (made with tempeh), a Tofurky club sandwich, and a Mediterranean wrap/salad. Their fridges are stocked with almond milk, fresh produce, kombucha, coconut water, organic juices, and flavored iced teas. They also sell snacks like Clif bars, muffins, trail mix, dried fruit, and dairy-free chocolate! They offer a wide variety of bagels with vegan butter or vegan cream cheese, which make a great breakfast option. If you’re tight on cash, you can even volunteer at the Food Co-op in exchange for food credit!

In addition to all of the vegan options on campus, there is also an entirely vegan restaurant, NuVegan, located right off of campus under The Varsity Apartments. This is a short walk from campus, and it offers a wide selection of vegan food including burgers, macaroni, lasagna, orange “chicken,” and much more! They also have smoothies, milkshakes, cookies, brownies, and many other dessert options!

While adjusting to a new college can sometimes be difficult, one thing you definitely won’t have to worry about at UMD College Park is where to find vegan food!

By Taffy Gonzalez

We just went on a Carnival Cruise (Triumph). The Dining Room staff was amazing. They created a custom vegan meal for our son every night, using such things as tofu and quinoa. It seemed like the chef used it for creative freedom, rather than a burden. The vegan dinners were always very pretty and tasty. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and supportive of our son being vegan…gave him a big hug at the end rather than treating him like he created more work!

For lunch aboard the ship our son hit the Mexican place mainly and had black bean burritos. Since meals are pre-paid, he would eat a few burritos as a vegan teenage boy eats a lot! There was also a stir-fry place that had tofu. For breakfast there were plenty of vegan items to get by.

As for the tours, one of our tours was very supportive and we didn’t even have to tell them he was vegan as there was so much to eat and there were plenty of options. The other tour was not understanding of vegan folks, but our family and another veggie family talked to the Carnival Cruise Director and they were so appalled by this that they refunded money and let us know all of the senior people at Carnival who would be looking into this. He was genuine with his concern.

All in all, our son who was extremely worried he would starve; however, he ate very well each day. Be sure to tell the head waiter as soon as you board the ship of your vegan needs. We did and as a result had a vegan dinner for us that first night.

If you work in the natural foods industry and are attending Natural Products Expo East at the Baltimore Convention Center September 22-24th, please drop by The Vegetarian Resource Group booth on Level 300 in the Non-Profit section. We’d love to meet you!

By Alicia Hückmann, VRG intern visiting from Germany

These are some of the tips I wish someone had given my parents when I became a vegetarian at the age of 17 and finally vegan a year later. I was very lucky to have my own apartment (and fridge!) during my transition because I no longer depended on my parents providing vegetarian/vegan food. While my family tolerated (or rather ignored) my decision to become vegetarian, they would get me into loud arguments for choosing a diet that is “known to cause deficiencies.” Today, about two years later, this has stopped but they still won’t taste any of the dishes I make, let alone let me cook for them once in a while.

At that time, I was mature enough to understand that my family only reacted in this way because they deeply care about me and want me to be healthy; however, their approach showed me that they had little faith in my ability to take responsibility for my own life. For teenagers who struggle to be regarded as independent young adults, this is one of the worst things that can happen. As a teaching student who has been running classes for 12-18 year-olds, I know how sensitive teenagers react to teachers or parents who make them feel like they are not being taken seriously. Showing teenagers that you think their opinions matter on the other hand contributes immensely to a positive class atmosphere. Teenagers who become vegetarian stand up for their personal values and for what they think is right. Their decisions are often based on profound knowledge about the animal industry, health, and the environment and show that they are critical thinkers who do not mind swimming against the tide. For this reason, I think that everybody who is willing to do the transition deserves support and encouragement by their family and friends.

I think the most important thing is supporting your teenager and their decision. When children go through puberty, they are likely to start isolating and estranging themselves from their family. A teenager that is unable to join family dinners because of their diet and thus forced to prepare their own meals is in even greater risk of doing so. In order to prevent your child from feeling excluded, you could introduce meatless days on which you let your teenager create a menu for the entire family and help them prepare it. Cooking together is a great way of bonding with your child and showing them that you have faith in their skills. Once you create a trusting and respecting relationship with your teenager, it will also be easier to speak openly about your concerns and worries.

LexVegFest (October 1, 2016 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 2312 Palumbo Dr, Lexington, KY 40509) is the first annual VegFest in Lexington and central Kentucky sponsored by GA Sanctuaries and Housewarmings. Our mission is to celebrate and promote plant-based lifestyles for health, environment, and compassion for animals. LexVegFest will feature local speakers, delicious food and drink, vendors, cooking demonstrations, informative exhibitors, children’s activities and more. Our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lexingtonvegfest/ Contact: [email protected]

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

Cashew Cow
16 S. Eastbourne Ave.
Tucson, AZ 85716
They specialize in non-dairy “ice cream” derived from a cashew base. Choose from many flavors including Vanilla, Strawberry, Lemon Poppyseed, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Cookies & Cream, and many more.

Chuminh Tofu & Veggie Deli
1043 S. Jackson St.
Seattle, WA 98104
Chef Tanya opened Chuminh Tofu & Veggie Deli to provide the public with healthy and ethical food. There are many different menu options ranging from sandwiches and smoothies to traditional Vietnamese plates. Try the Pad Thai or the Bún Tàu Xào!

Equelecua Cuban Café
1120 W. Florence Ave., Unit C
Inglewood, CA 90301
Equelecua offers authentic Cuban cuisine with a vegan twist! Owner Caro Lafaurie and Chef Julito Ortega transformed traditional Cuban dishes to meatless masterpieces. Be sure to try the Alitas (the spicy agave wings) or the Camarones al Ajillo. Equelecua is conveniently located within walking distance to LAX.

Grow Your Roots
220 Terence Matthews Cres.
Ottawa, ON K2M 0E2
For breakfast dine on Nola Granola Parfait, Morning Scramble, bagels, and more. For lunch or early dinner enjoy soups and salads, Panini, BBQ tofu, veggie burger, and more. Weekend brunch items include Apple Pie Panino and waffles.

Karmah
343 Kerr St.
Oakville, ON L6K 3B7 Canada
At the end of each day, Karmah donates its compost and uneaten food to local animal sanctuaries where animals were saved from slaughter, so satisfy your hunger and eat for a good cause! Food is prepared daily, juices are pressed on site, and desserts are created fresh in the restaurant’s bakery. All food and beverages are vegan and soy free with some gluten-free options available. Food includes bowls, tacos, and wraps. A wide variety of beverages includes juices, smoothies, hand-crafted nut milks, and coffee drinks sure to please all tastes. Dine in or grab and go.

Munch On and Beyond
1346 Wetmore Rd.
San Antonio, TX 78247
Five individual businesses have partnered together under one roof to bring a variety of vegan, gluten-free, grab-and-go meals, snacks, sweets, and drinks. My Tea Soul features tea and baked goods; Enlighten Veggie Food offers gluten free and vegan food, like burgers, tacos, and ice cream; Viva Vegeria sells vegan tamales and Golden Horn of Plenty is a resale shop, benefiting San Antonio dog rescue.

Nourished Food Bar
131 Dean A McGee Ave. Ste. 115
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
A small space focusing on take-out with limited seating. While the structure of the menu will stay relatively the same — hearty salads, soups, snacks/bites — the ingredients used will change often, depending on the season and what we can buy from local farmers. Some items that have been available include house-made cashew cheese, hummus sandwich, potato leek soup, and kale salad. Everything is gluten free as well.

Plant Matter Kitchen
162 Wortley Rd.
London, ON N6C 3P7 Canada
Lunch items include Mac & Cheese, Curry Wrap, Veggie Burger, pizza, soup, and more. Dinner cuisine includes Pizza with side soup and salad, Shepherd’s Pie, Caesar Salad, and more. Sunday brunch dishes include Breakfast Burrito, Mega Bowl, and more.

Press Food & Juice
426 Rhode Island St.
Buffalo, NY 14213
Choose from fresh produce and have a juice cold-pressed especially for you or buy one of the pre-bottled juices from the refrigerator; miniature shot-style juices are also available. Press offers a variety of breakfast, lunch, and snack items, including coffee, tea, pastries, salads, wraps, and soups. Dessert items include ice-cream, smoothies, and cocoa. An open kitchen allows patrons to see the food being prepared. All ingredients are organic and all food items are vegan; many food items are prepared raw. Some gluten free options are available. Menu availability changes often, so check their Facebook page or call for a current menu.

The V Spot
12 Millers Ln.
Dundas, ON L9H 2S9 Canada
This vibrant café serves a wide variety from fries smothered in their chili affectionately referred to as “Hot Mama’s Three Bean Chili” to a Coconut Curry Chickpea wrap. You can also get a quick boost with their fair trade coffee or cool down with a refreshing Berry Patch smoothie made with coconut water. Sit cozy indoors or enjoy a bit of sun on their private back patio. The V Spot is perfect for a quick and delicious lunch solo or with friends.

Vegan’s Delight
3565 Boston Rd.
Bronx, NY 10469
Enjoy Dal Patties, Wheat Meat Curry, Ital Stew Peas, Ginger Beer, Sorrell, and more. They are located off the next-to-last stop on the 5 train in the northern Bronx.

Virtuous Pie
583 Main St.
Vancouver, BC V6A 2V1 Canada
Virtuous pie offers a heavenly yet sinful dining experience. What better place to indulge than a vegan restaurant serving mainly pizza and ice cream? Their pizzas range from a standard/not-so-standard Margherita pie made with cashew cheese and fresh basil to one called Stranger Wings topped with crispy buffalo cauliflower and vegan blue cheese. Their ice cream has eclectic flavors like Basil and Peach Jam. Sit back and enjoy plant based pizza served on hand-made pizza plates in a crisp, modern atmosphere.