By Janet Kearney, Guest Contributor

Halloween is fast approaching, and if you’re the same kind of parent as me, you’ll be running around Party City in the wee hours of Hallows Eve, trying to convince your four-year-old that Superman was cool last year and the unknown, ”We aren’t really sure what that costume is, Ma’am,” is the one he really wants to wear.

And in the midst of costume planning, the candy is something that comes last in figuring out Halloween. Last year, we made it easy and opted for the Teal Pumpkin Project. We handed out sticker cards and coloring books, but I forgot that we’d have to swap the kids’ collected candy for something of equal value. For my four-year-old, one sticker book did not equate to an entire bucket of chocolate. Needless to say, the trade-off wasn’t as peaceful as we’d hoped.

This year, we’re a little more prepared because, never mind the kids’ disappointment, my partner and I realized that we won’t have any candy to eat when they go to bed. Raise Vegan has an extensive list of vegan candies that are readily available.

That being said, the real problem arises when you are sitting with a lot of candy that no one chooses to—or can’t—eat. Fortunately, there are some great programs out there, like Soldiers’ Angels Treats for Troops, where kids and parents can donate their unwanted candy to troops and veterans.

If you don’t want to take the candy in the first place, there are some great ideas that we picked up in the Vegan Parenting Facebook Group. A few ideas include holding your own ghostly ghouls block party and showing everyone that being vegan can be ladled with all kinds of great alternatives. Or you can give small packets of treats to households you’re familiar with and ask if they can give that candy to your Little Monsters when they come crashing down the door.

Final tip—make sure to have the Dandies vegan marshmallows on hand to roast on the fire and indulge in when after kids have crashed.

Happy Halloween, Everybody!

Thanksgiving can be a challenging time for vegans, but one of the joys of the season can be the coming together of other like-minded people to celebrate what amazing animals turkeys are, as well as eating delicious vegan food. The Los Angeles Tofurky Trot and Vegan Food Fest offers a chance for people to do both!

This year, the LA Tofurky Trot will be held on Sunday, November 12th, in Griffith Park. There will be a 5K run/walk, with Tofurky swag bags for all runners, and prizes for the first finishers, best costume, and the cutest dog.

After the Trot, there will be a Vegan Food Fest featuring some of LA’s most beloved vegan food vendors, like Taqueria La Venganza, Charlie’s Brownies, and Cocobella Creamery.

As if the Tofurky Trot weren’t great enough, there’s also a chance to help animals and win amazing prizes! Anyone can register for a fundraising page on Crowdrise, and all of the funds raised will support vegan organizations working to help animals and promote plant-based diets, with 20% of the funds benefitting Vegan Outreach.

The top fundraiser will win a two-night stay at the legendary vegan eco-resort, Stanford Inn by the Sea. The prize includes two breakfasts and two dinners at the resort’s award-winning vegan restaurant, The Ravens. The runner-up will win a prize pack and a two-year subscription to VegNews magazine.

Register for the Tofurky Trot before it sells out, and start fundraising to help the animals.

Thank you, and happy trotting!

By Sharon Palmer, RD, Guest Contributor

October 1 was World Vegetarian Day, and the whole month of October is Vegetarian Awareness Month. If you—or someone you know—have been considering a plant-based lifestyle, today is the perfect day to give it a try. What have you got to lose?

I’m encouraging everyone—no matter what their eating style—to take on a more whole foods, plant-based lifestyle. And now that summer vacations are over, the kids are back to school, and the holidays are still in the future, it’s the perfect time to give a more healthful, sustainable lifestyle a try.

One of the best ways to decide if you want to make a change in your eating style is to try a challenge. Just try it for a finite period of time—whether it’s one week, two weeks, or one month.

Five Steps for Taking the Veg Challenge

Decide what your goal is and commit. If you’re a slow starter, perhaps you’d like to try a month of Meatless Mondays. Or maybe you’d like to give two weeks of eating vegetarian a spin. Maybe you want to give a completely plant-based diet a try for a whole month. Just make a decision, and go for it.

Set your kitchen up for success. Once you make a commitment, make sure you’re supporting it in the kitchen. I’ve got plenty of tips in my books The Plant-Powered Diet and Plant-Powered For Life.

Here are a couple of cheats—

• Stock your pantry with plant-based, shelf-stable foods, such as whole grains, dried and canned beans, nuts and seeds, nuts and seed butters, spices, and herbs. You can create wholesome, plant-based meals out of these ingredients in a jiffy.
• Fill your fridge at least once a week with healthy, fresh, plant-based foods to enliven those plant-based dishes, such as seasonal fruits and vegetables, tofu, seitan, and plant-based milk.

Plan wisely. For your first week, you might find it especially helpful to jot down a menu for your lunch and dinners. On your busy nights, try simple meals, such as tofu stir-fry with brown rice or black bean tacos. But choose a couple of nights when you have a bit more time to try a new recipe. This will inspire you to get creative and enjoy the delicious flavors of plant-based foods.

Scope out plant-based offerings in your neighborhood. Take a few minutes to scope out the plant-based offerings in your neighborhood, such as your local natural food store, vegetarian restaurants, or restaurants with lots of plant-based options. Plan a visit a couple of times your first week to keep it fun.

Create good ole’ standbys. It’s easy to eat plant-based when you have your go-to favorite, wholesome meals that make you feel content and satisfied. Some of mine include steel cut oats with seasonal fruit, cinnamon, hemp, walnuts, and soy milk for breakfast. A kale salad with white beans, sun-dried tomatoes, and pine nuts for lunch. And a veggie BLT with tempeh bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, and plant-based mayo for a weekend meal.

To learn more about my work, visit my website. And for more help, check out Vegan Outreach’s Vegan Mentor Program (VMP)—a helpful resource where you’ll receive one-on-one support via email with a volunteer mentor. They’ll help you with anything from grocery shopping and eating out to figuring out how to respond when people ask you questions.

Also check out Vegan Serial, Vegan Outreach’s 10-week email series where you’ll receive recipes, helpful tips, and nutrition information.

Happy Vegetarian Awareness Month!

By John Deetjen, Outreach Coordinator

London, Ontario’s vegan restaurant scene has been booming the past few years! This southern Ontario city saw its 6th all-vegan establishment—Globally Local—open its doors in July 2017. The restaurant now has two locations in the city.

Globally Local prides itself on being the first vegan drive-thru in the world that’s open 24 hours a day. It features an all-day breakfast menu, fast food classics, desserts, and delicious vegan soft serve ice cream.

Restaurant owner James McInnes’ success started last summer when their vegan version of McDonald’s Big Mac sold out at the London Rib Fest. The popularity of their food truck and burger garnered much press attention.

Despite the all-time high anticipation for the second restaurant opening, things hit a snag when vandals spray painted, “I love meat” over the drive-thru window. However, the anti-vegan graffiti got a lot of media coverage, and local vegans and meat eaters alike banded together and pledged to support the new establishment.

A statement about the graffiti on their social media said, “Thank you to the tens of thousands of people who have helped us to spread our message and join our fast food revolution. To those that undermine our mission and attack our values – know that we will not be stopped.”

Will not be stopped was an understatement. The grand opening was a major success! There was a line that ran outside of the restaurant from noon until 4 pm. There were literally hundreds of patrons waiting for their taste of vegan fast food.

My wife and I attended the grand opening event, and after deliberating on what to order, we decided to order a BLT, the Fries Supremacy—fries topped with housemade sour cream, scallions, taco meat, and cheese sauce—mac n’ cheese, hashbrowns, a cheeseburger, and soft serve ice cream.

The BLT was fantastic—a great combination of salty and smoky. With their housemade vegan mayo, it was perfectly delicious! The mac n’ cheese was just as good! In fact, I think it was my favorite item that I ordered. Their housemade cheese sauce is made from ingredients like potatoes and carrots, making it a healthier alternative to traditional mac n’ cheese.

And the burger that won the restaurant so much fame met our expectations. The patty is chickpea-based, seasoned, and cooked on the grill. Yum!

The perfect end to the meal was their vanilla coconut based soft serve ice cream! Reminiscent of a McDonald’s cone, vegans and non-vegans alike will sure be flocking here for this delicious frozen treat.

Whether you live in or near London, Ontario, or you’re just driving thru—get it?—be sure to get yourself some vegan grub at Globally Local, and leave us a comment to tell us what your experience was like!

Happy fast food eating!