Each issue of Vegan Journal we review products that are worthy of purchase. In the latest magazine we feature inexpensive vegan foods such as Trader Joe’s Organic 3 Grain Tempeh. Read the column here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2026issue3/2026_issue3_veggie_bits.php

Please subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only here: www.vrg.org/member

Karishma said: I grew up vegetarian, so eating a plant-based diet has always been a normal part of my life. Recently, my mom was diagnosed with gallstones, along with gluten and lactose intolerances. It was tough to navigate finding meals that met all of her dietary needs while still being balanced, nutritious, and vegetarian. Through a lot of research and kitchen experimenting, we found a variety of plant-based meals that are delicious and that accommodated those restrictions. I created this video to show that plant-based eating doesn’t have to be intimidating or limiting. I hope this video shows that plant-based eating is possible without compromising nutrition, flavor, or dietary needs. Video link: https://www.wevideo.com/view/4142585750

The deadline for the next Vegetarian Resource Group video contest is July 15, 2027. See https://www.vrg.org/videoscholarship.php

See other videos here: https://www.vrg.org/veg_videos.php

And https://www.youtube.com/@VegResourceGrp/shorts

For information about VRG’s $5,000 scholarships for high school seniors who have promoted veganism, see https://www.vrg.org/student/scholar  The next deadline is February 20, 2027.

To support VRG’s outreach to young people, join at https://www.vrg.org/member/cabdacae.php

Or donate at vrg.org/donate

Each issue of Vegan Journal we review products that are worthy of purchase. In the latest magazine we feature inexpensive vegan foods such as Sprouts Organic Baked Beans. Read the column here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2026issue3/2026_issue3_veggie_bits.php

Please subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only here: www.vrg.org/member

By Jeanne Yacoubous, MS

Currently at over 35 locations mostly in the Midwest but quickly spreading nationwide, late founder Sahar Sander opened the first Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill restaurant in Naperville, IL, in 2009. According to the company website, the name Naf Naf (“Fan the Flame”) serves as a heartfelt invitation to gather around the table to share a meal. Featuring “authentic handmade recipes” true to Sander’s Middle Eastern upbringing, Naf Naf is still serving those dishes today.

The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) asked the Local Store Marketing and Catering Specialist at Naf Naf, about its vegan menu items. We were intrigued because, in their initial email, they had written that “our menu is 90% vegan- and vegetarian-friendly.”

Upon closer inspection of the Naf Naf menu, however, we found a few traditional Middle Eastern meat staples such as chicken shawarma and steak. Naf Naf also serves chicken tenders.

Other menu items that are not vegan at Naf Naf:

• Garlic sauce (made with mayonnaise)
• Nafziki (containing labneh, a Middle Eastern Cheese, made with microbial rennet)

They pointed out in a June 2026 email that:

“Our fries are fried in the same fryer as the chicken tenders but our falafel has its own fryer to avoid cross contamination. We are hopefully coming up with new innovative options with vegans in mind…, so I will let you know when there are new vegan options available. All our salads and sauces are made in house with fresh ingredients and no animal by-products.”

For more information about the vegan status of all the menu items at Naf Naf, readers may consult the Allergy Guide on the website. This helpful document contains a vegan icon next to the vegan items at Naf Naf. One vegan item on that list is lentil soup.

When we asked specifically about the falafel, they informed us that it is free of all animal- and dairy-derived ingredients.

The pre-made pita bread dough arrives at restaurants and is cooked in-house. We were informed that L-cysteine is not on the label. The VRG asked for confirmation that any “dough conditioner” listed – which could be how L-cysteine is present – does not contain L-cysteine, but the dough company has not responded to Naf Naf’s multiple inquiries.

Naf Naf offers basmati rice and couscous. We were told that both grains are prepared in “…soybean oil and spices; nothing animal-based…the pots that we use for our rice and couscous are only used for vegan dishes. We have separate cutting boards and knives for vegetables/meats as well.”

The hummus, spicy hummus, and baba ghanoush at Naf Naf are 100% plant-based. They, like all foods at Naf Naf, are prepared in “…soybean and olive oil…there’s no butter or tallow onsite.” These dishes are also prepared away from meat and dairy products.

The vegan sauces at Naf Naf are:

• Lemon vinaigrette
• Tahini
• S’khug
• Harissa
• Pomegranate vinaigrette

Naf Naf is currently offering, for a limited time only, a protein wrap made with a wheat flour tortilla…, hummus, pickles, and either chicken or falafel…and grilled until crispy. There is no L-cysteine in the tortilla; its dough conditioner is labeled as: “fumaric acid, xanthan gum, mono- and diglycerides, sodium metabisulphite.” There is no set end date for the wrap. If it’s popular, it could become a permanent menu item.

All Naf Nac franchises use the same ingredients in all menu items. “They are required to utilize the same products through the same vendors as corporate locations.”  “Franchises, [like corporate-owned restaurants], prepare their dishes onsite except for the [non-vegan] baklava which arrives pre-cooked.”

All Naf Naf locations follow the same standard operating procedures to avoid commingling between vegan and non-vegan items. “They are also subjected to surprise inspections three times a year to ensure they are following all company standards.”

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

For more on where to eat vegetarian in restaurants, see:

https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

https://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

For more vegan information, subscribe to Vegan Journal: https://www.vrg.org/member/cabdacae.php

The VRG Coordinators penned a column titled Vegan on a Budget in the latest issue of Vegan Journal. Quite often the international press continues to falsely promote the idea that vegan diets are too expensive. As vegans, we know that is not true and write about it. Read the entire column here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2026issue3/2026_issue3_note_coordinators.php

Please subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only here: www.vrg.org/member

Pop & Bottle Peaches & Cream Matcha Almond Latte

By Emily Shoemaker, VRG Intern

As a member of Gen Z, I can confidently report that boba is one of the most popular treats of my generation. Commonly made with milk tea, boba combines some type of flavored drink as a base with tapioca pearls or other add-ons (often coated in a sweet syrup) to make a customized drink unique to your tastes. I have spent many hang outs at boba cafes and have even collected the materials to make the tapioca pearls at home. Today, I’ll be trying a plant-based milk tea, in this case matcha, to make my drink fully come to life.

The brand I tried is called Pop & Bottle. Their company is women founded and women led, born from a pair of friends “who bonded over their love of coffee and endless quest to find coffee products that met their quality and health standards.” Their drink options range from oat milk lattes, almond milk lattes, and coffee concentrates, and they can be bought through their website and in person through retailers such as Target and Giant. For my taste test, Target only had the almond latte variety, so I got two matcha flavors. I drank the Peaches and Cream Matcha Almond Latte by itself and made the Matcha Almond Latte into boba after.

On its own, the latte is very pleasantly mild in its flavor. It doesn’t overwhelm the palate or feel thick on your tongue. I found the flavor to be more in line with strawberry milk paired with a matcha undertone. The Peaches and Cream Matcha flavor was much sweeter than its Matcha counterpart, but it was in line with what I would hope to find in a flavored matcha drink.

For the second latte, I pulled out the boba that my family already had. We use the small size so that a normal sized straw can still suck up the pearls. For a more traditional experience, feel free to use larger ones. The cooking instructions are very simple, boil the pearls on high for 20 minutes until transparent. After that, take a spoonful of brown sugar and dissolve it in a small amount of hot water (enough to cover your pearls). After mixing the boba into the brown sugar mixture, you have your boba add on!

     The flavor of the matcha is not very sweet by itself, so I enjoyed the brown sugar adding a sweet edge to the drink. The pearls made the experience feel much more fancy and reminded me of a lot of good memories with my friends. I would recommend doing this with their coffee options as well, as boba can be enjoyed with just about any kind of flavored base and would make for a lovely morning pick-me-up!

For more information, see: https://www.popandbottle.com/pages/almond-milk-lattes

In the latest issue of Vegan Journal, Reed Mangels, PhD, RD’s Nutrition Hotline column offers information on federal food assistance programs offering vegan food. She discusses SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), WIC (Women, Infants, Children program), and local programs. Read the entire column here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2026issue3/2026_issue3_nutrition_hotline.php

Please subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only here: www.vrg.org/member

Khepera said: As someone who was born and raised vegan due to my family history of heart disease from high cholesterol, I have always been interested in pursuing this plant-based lifestyle. I am currently a public health researcher at Morehouse School of Medicine studying how a plant-based diet can contribute to a higher quality of life after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Vegetarianism and veganism has been researched extensively and found to contribute to overall well-being and I believe it is my duty to encourage others to feel as good as I do. In addition to the health benefits of a veggie diet, I am also aware of the environmental implications of a plant-based lifestyle and the effects it can have on creating a safe world for both humans and animals alike. Video link: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/O2JwiHvfU5Y

The deadline for the next Vegetarian Resource Group video contest is July 15, 2027. See https://www.vrg.org/videoscholarship.php

See other videos here: https://www.vrg.org/veg_videos.php

And https://www.youtube.com/@VegResourceGrp/shorts

For information about VRG’s $5,000 scholarships for high school seniors who have promoted veganism, see https://www.vrg.org/student/scholar  The next deadline is February 20, 2027.

To support VRG’s outreach to young people, join at https://www.vrg.org/member/cabdacae.php

Or donate at vrg.org/donate

Lentil-Spinach Pilaf photo by Hannah Kaminsky

The latest issue of Vegan Journal features a fantastic article including low-cost vegan menus for a family of four (2 adults and 2 children) with a week of meal plans as well as vegan recipes. This project was produced by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, along with the assistance of several VRG interns that gathered a lot of information. The meal plans utilize inexpensive vegan food items that are commonly found in markets. The low-cost recipes include Garbanzo Bean Burgers, Hearty Macaroni Dinner, Lentil-Spinach Pilaf, Whole Wheat Apple Muffins, and many more found at www.vrg.org/nutrition/low-cost-vegan-recipes.pdf

Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2026issue3/2026_issue3_low-cost-vegan-menus-and-recipes.php

Please subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only here: www.vrg.org/member

White Sands La Jolla

7450 Olivetas Avenue

La Jolla, CA 92037

(858) 230-8320

Independent living, assisted living, memory support, skilled nursing

Sample menu screenshots showed soymilk, “vegan lentil soup,” “vegan Indian chickpea bowl,” and “Beyond Bolognese with wholewheat penne pasta”