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One of the newest “nutrition education” groups to hit the web is The Nutrient Rich Foods Coalition (NRFC). Funded by twelve commodity groups, including the National Pork Board and the National Cattlemen’s Association, the group’s focus is on encouraging people to eat more nutrient-rich foods.

Not surprising, the foods being touted through its education materials and recipes are those produced by its members. (The members do include a number of commodity groups devoted to plant foods. But it’s an odd assortment, suggesting that groups are included based only on their willingness to pay a membership fee.)

When it comes to going vegetarian or vegan, the whole idea of perfectionism—of never eating dairy again and never eating meat—is among the biggest obstacles for people. I saw this first hand for the first time many years ago when I was teaching a class on vegetarian cooking. One student told me that she loved the idea of going vegetarian but she just couldn’t contemplate it, because she couldn’t give up her favorite food—a Reuben Sandwich.

I asked her how often she had a Reuben, and she said “Oh—maybe 4 or 5 times a year.” I suggested that […]

Beans and rice are cheap, but, for many of us, vegan diets aren’t. Tofu, veggie burgers and soymilk are important staples in some veggie households, and they are often—or usually—much more expensive than their animal-derived counterparts.

But with a little bit of planning, you can cut costs in your veggie kitchen. Here are a few ideas:

Get back to basics: Whatever happened to beans and rice, anyway? They are still the best foods on earth—always good for you, good for the environment, easy on the pocketbook.

Take the condiment approach with meat substitutes: Progressive dietitians have long advised that meat should be treated […]

Voltaire said that the best (or the perfect) is the enemy of the good. And when it comes to diet, there is a definite risk that setting standards of perfection will paralyze us into inaction. On the flip side, it’s not great to let a few good choices make us so complacent that we don’t seek to do more.

A good example of this in the world of dietetics occurred when Americans got cholesterol savvy and started trading in beef for white meat such as chicken. That was a moderate improvement in eating habits that let people feel […]

Tomorrow is my husband’s birthday and he is not the world’s easiest guy to shop for. I got him a classic Led Zeppelin CD (the one with Stairway to Heaven on it) and I know he’ll love that, and also a pair of gloves which he badly needs.

I also picked up a gift card to Subway, and I suspect this will be his favorite present. He loves their Veggie Delight sub, and since the burger they use is vegan, I’ll probably let him buy me dinner with his gift card at least once.

I steer clear of […]