School Menu

Vegetarian School Menus Plant Seeds For Healthy Eating

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With nationwide childhood obesity rates reaching unprecedented levels, it’s clear that the time has come to swap the greasy cafeteria “mystery” meatloaf and fatty chicken nuggets out for healthier protein-packed plant-based options. This cafeteria conversion is well underway in schools across the US — from Meatless Mondays to all veg menus — and it’s good news for our health, the planet, and animals.

Earth Day

US VegWeek 2013 Kicks Off Today – Earth Day!

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Today marks the 43rd anniversary of Earth Day, a day intended to encourage individuals to take meaningful actions in their everyday lives that, collectively, contribute to preserving the planet. But in the words of late Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson who founded Earth Day, “Our goal is not just an environment of clean air and water and scenic beauty. The objective is an environment of decency, quality and mutual respect for all other human beings and all other living creatures.”

Native Foods

Native Foods Announces Plans to Open 200 New Restaurants

smcdonaldOutreach, Veg Eating 2 Comments

It’s hard not to notice the increasing popularity of vegan eating. From Good Morning America to Saturday Night Live, everyone’s talking it. The topic of meatless meals has even graced the cover of one of the leading foodservice industry trade publications, Nation’s Restaurant News, which highlighted the increasing popularity and growing success of vegetarian and veg-friendly eateries across the U.S. Almost prophetically, when the question was posed in the article about whether America is ready for a national vegetarian restaurant chain, Aviv Schweitzer, the operations manager for Maoz USA, responded: “It think it’s a fact; it’s not really a question anymore.”

Thai New Year

Celebrate Thai New Year – Veg Dishes Made with Authentic Ingredients

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The Songkran Festival, also known as Thai New Year, is celebrated from April 13 – 16, and it’s the perfect opportunity to indulge in delicious Thai cuisine — 100% veganized, of course. While these recipes would traditionally include fish sauce, meat, or chicken stock, they can be easily made without an animal ingredients while maintaining the authentic flavors. For example, in Tom Kha, simply use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock. You’ll still get all the essential aromas and flavors because the key ingredients are lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime.

Protecting the Planet

A Four-Pronged Approach to Protecting the Planet

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For over 40 years, Earth Day—celebrated on April 22—has been inspiring people to take steps to help the environment. Did you know that perhaps the single most important action each of us can take to protect the planet is simply to choose meat-free foods?

Earth Day offers the perfect opportunity to empower others to fight global warming and animal abuse with our forks, and COK’s popular Eating Sustainably brochure is a great way to share this important message.

Newly updated for 2013, this trifold brochure is packed with information (citations included) about the negative environmental impacts of animal agriculture while also highlighting the global calls to action from the United Nations to shift towards a more plant-based diet.

Grilled Cheese Day

It’s National (Vegan) Grilled Cheese Day!

smcdonaldOutreach, Recipes 1 Comment

Vegan Grilled CheeseWho doesn’t love a good vegan grilled cheese sandwich? That’s why we’re putting a compassionate spin on this food holiday, making it National (Vegan) Grilled Cheese Day. And to celebrate, we’re sharing our award-winning gourmet vegan grilled cheese recipe!

Last year, COK competed in the 10th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational (GCI) at the Pasadena Rose Bowl–and we took home the trophy for 3rd place in the professional chef category!

John Salley

NBA Star John Salley Kicks off US VegWeek Events

smcdonaldEvents, Outreach 1 Comment

John Salleyt The fifth annual US VegWeek kicks off in less than 2 weeks! This nationwide event, which begins on Earth Day (April 22), offers a fun and supportive way to explore the many flavors and benefits of vegetarian eating.

Thousands of people–including scores of lawmakers–have already agreed to take our 7-day pledge, and it’s not too to sign up! Are you up the for challenge?