Notes from the VRG Scientific Department

VRG In The News

VRG Nutrition Advisor Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, was interviewed by Shape magazine for a story on reducing meat in the diet and by Child Guide magazine for a story on tips for vegetarian children. Reed also wrote an article on strategies for working with vegetarian infants, children, and adolescents for the American Dietetic Association’s Pediatric Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group newsletter. VRG Nutrition Advisor Suzanne Havala Hobbs, DrPH, RD, was interviewed by the Dallas Morning News for a story about the differences among types of vegetarian diets and by WebMD for a story that profiled five nutritious foods.

VRG Outreach

VRG Nutrition Advisor Suzanne Havala Hobbs, DrPH, RD, presented a community discussion on vegetarian diets for Duke University. VRG’s Food Service Advisor Nancy Berkoff, RD, EdD, CCE, attended The National Association of College & University Food Services’ purchasing seminar in San Diego, where she welcomed attendees to try Tofurky samples at the end of the seminar and during the subsequent lunch period. The food service professionals eagerly snatched up several VRG handouts, including one on reading nutritional labels, and asked questions about vegetarian diets. At the event, Nancy provided guidance to the catering director and the chef at The University of California, San Diego (UCSD), who receive many requests for vegetarian catering. Several audience members felt they had good sources for tofu, soymilk, and other vegetarian ingredients, but their newest challenge was serving students with food allergies. They were addressing their wheat and dairy allergies with wheat-free vegan products, such as rice milk and rice cheese.