What better way to open up the hearts and minds of others than giving away delicious vegan food? That’s exactly how two of our outreach interns in DC, Andrea Roccanti and Shebani Rao, are spending their summer! With the support of VegFund, Andrea and Shebani hosted an “Ask-A-Vegan” table outside of a busy Giant grocery store in DC.
This week’s issue of Nation’s Restaurant News, considered one of the leading foodservice industry trade publications, features a ground-breaking cover story—“Meatless Menus”—highlighting the increasing popularity and growing success of vegetarian and veg-friendly eateries across the U.S.
As the author Lisa Jennings explains, while vegetarians and vegans may represent a relatively small percentage of the
overall American population, a growing number of restaurants and food service providers are “convinced there is a broad audience ready to embrace plant-based dining.”
It seems as if new bakeries catering the current cupcake frenzy are popping up everywhere. And it’s hard not to notice that a growing number of them are dishing out delicious vegan versions of these mini sweet treats.
Earlier this month, Ohio’s Department of Agriculture resolutely rejected plans submitted by Hi-Q Egg Products to build what would have been the state’s largest battery cage egg factory farm. With 27 million hens already crammed inside battery cages, Ohio is the second largest egg-producing state in the U.S.
Walk into any grocery store in the United States today, and you’ll likely find cartons of eggs bearing a variety of advertising schemes ranging from images of happy hens roaming around outside to claims such as “animal friendly.”
Surprisingly though, what consumers see or read on the outside of an egg carton doesn’t necessarily represent how the hens who laid those
eggs were treated. In fact, while most egg laying hens in the US spend their lives overcrowded inside barren wire cages, Compassion Over Killing has documented several cases of explicit and implied claims on egg cartons across the country that imply a higher level of animal care than is actually the case.
Speaking with today’s inquisitive and energetic youth about compassion for animals can be one of the most encouraging and rewarding experiences. As a former teacher in DC, I’ve had the opportunity to visit a handful of schools, from elementary through high school, in and around the nation’s capital to meet with students and share information about animals, where our food comes from, and the many benefits of choosing vegetarian foods.
Last Thursday evening, on June 9, as thousands of Glee fans flocked to Washington, DC’s Verizon Center for the sold-out “Glee Live!” concert, COK interns and volunteers were on hand with trays of free vegan food and stacks of pro-vegetarian literature.
June is National Dairy Month, so it’s the perfect time to learn more about the negative impacts that dairy production has on our health, the environment, and animals–and a wonderful opportunity to explore dairy-free options!
On May 9, we announced that after working with Compassion Over Killing, Pita Pit, a national quick-service sandwich chain with more than 100 locations, started offering a new vegan black bean patty on all of its menus. We’ve got even more good news to share: in just four short weeks since the launch of this vegan patty, the company considers it a huge hit!
Paul Erwin, Chief Financial Executive of Pita Pit told COK, “We know that a growing number of our customers – and consumers everywhere – are looking for delicious and nutritious heart-healthy options and are also increasingly concerned about animal welfare issues. That’s why we’re excited to introduce a hearty all-vegan black bean patty to our menus nationwide.”
