"meatless" news and stories

A few weeks ago, we heard that the Vegetarian Times reviewed some veggie burgers and picked a chicken-style burger as their favorite, despite the fact that most people wanting a burger don't think of chicken as the standard to meat. When it comes to standards, Gardenburgers are it for veggie burgers because they were the first well known brand of non-meat burger. Recently, the company has been in some financial trouble, but they are making a comeback and trying to promote their line, which has been revamped and is, hopefully, better than before.

Hungry Girl did a great job reviewing their patties, tasting and evaluating every one they offer, with the exception of "The Classic." Her top pick was the Black Bean Chipotle Burger, which sounds delicious based on the name alone, followed by The Original and the Garden Vegan Burgers. The unfortunately crumbly Flame Grilled Burger got the lowest marks, so it sounds like you'll want to avoid them. Check out the whole guide if you're looking for a good Gardenburger.

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After emerging from bankruptcy earlier this year, Gardenburger is looking to rebuild its brand. They turned to college students for help. A spokeswoman from Gardenburger stated that college students were a good market for the brand because "college students tend to be more aware ... about the environment [and] about health" - meaning that they are slightly more likely than the average person to reach for the vegetarian option at the table.

The company has set up a program with advertising classes at five US universities, where the students at each campus are to design a campaign for the company and at least one will be used nationally in the fall. The students are not being paid for this work - and are more than likely being graded on their ideas - but the opportunity to work on a national campaign for a nationally known brand is a chance that any college student looking to go into advertising or marketing is likely to jump at.

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The British Food Standards Agency estimates that there are 3.5-million vegetarians and 250,000 vegans in the UK and, after consultation with both vegetarian and vegan groups, have decided to formulate labeling guidelines to food producers to follow. There is lots of confusion about the definitions of the terms among consumers, as well as manufacturers. Generally speaking, vegetarians refrain from eating meat products and vegans avoid all animal-derived products, including dairy and eggs. The purpose of introducing such guidelines is to prevent manufacturers from incorrectly identifying products as "vegetarian" or "vegan" when they actually contain meat-based or animal derived ingredients. To be sure all their bases were covered, the also defined the term "animals." With standards in place, consumers no longer need to worry that what they are picking up might contain undisclosed ingredients. The official guidelines are:

"Vegetarian: The term 'vegetarian' should not be applied to foods that are, or are made from, or with, the aid of products derived from animals that have died, have been slaughtered, or animals that die as a result of being eaten.

Animals means farmed, wild or domestic animals, including for example, livestock poultry, game, fish, shellfish, crustacea, amphibians, tunicates, echinoderms, mollusks and insects.

Vegan: The term 'vegan' should not be applied to foods that are, or are made from, or with, the aid of animals or animal products (including products from living animals)."

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Among the most popular items listed on Valentine’s Day menus are meats and seafood. The holiday lends itself meals that feature lamb, veal, steak and lobster, along with purported aphrodisiacs like oysters. But for vegetarians, the specials offered at many restaurants aren’t love inducing and a simple salad is not really the optimal main course for a romantic, special occasion.

If your Valentine is vegetarian, try to check the menu of the restaurant before you make a reservation or simply as the host or hostess if they offer vegetarian options when you call. Most restaurants either have options already or have no problem making sure that a substitute for a carnivorous main course is available. If they cannot or refuse to accommodate you, it is best to change your reservations, since an otherwise lovely evening can be marred by an unpleasant dinner.