Hot (veggie) dog! The list of baseball stadiums offering soy dogs is growing.

This year, the Philadelphia Phillies' Citizen's Bank Park started offering veggie dogs, making it the 13th Major League Baseball stadium to do so since the White Sox started the trend five years ago. These dogs also happen to be vegan, certified kosher, and non-GMO. Isn't that great? The Phillies also offer a flame-grilled (vegan) Gardenburger. (Both, we are told, are served on vegan buns.) In celebration of these menu items, Scott Geiger, Soy Happy Manager for the Phillies, has organized a group outing to the Phillies game on Friday, June 16 at 7:05pm. He's already sold out of the tickets he purchased, so if you would like to join the celebration, we encourage you to buy a ticket on your own and E-mail Scott for information on where they'll be seated. Come by and say hello! Photos from the outing will be posted here later.

Soy Happy is currently talking with the concession managers at other MLB stadiums about the addition of veggie dogs to their menus. One ballpark considering this item now is the New York Mets' Shea Stadium. In addition, Johanna (Soy Happy's founder/director) will be meeting with the concession manager at Denver Rockies' Coors Field later in June.

6/29 update: Washington Nationals' RFK Stadium began offering veggie dogs in the 2005 season. Their distributor stopped carrying the item, however, and after a few months of negotiations, they have gone with a new supplier. They now carry Lightlife's Smart Dog, which is not only vegetarian, it's vegan. Thank the concession manager and contact SH Manager Patti if you'd like to be kept in the loop about outings to a game later this season. (See the Nationals' listing in the Reference Guide for more information).

The Minor League stadiums are also scoring points with veggie dogs. (See the item below on the RiverDogs!)

Remember that your feedback and suggestions to the stadium and the concession manager can make a big difference. If they carry an item you want, THANK them! If you are still eating before the game or bringing your own food, let them know that too. Tell them what you'd purchase if it was available. Your voice has power. Be an advocate for yourself and others like you who may not be speaking up. Check our page on Empowering Consumers for tips on the best way to voice your suggestions and feedback.

We will keep alert subscribers posted with any ballpark updates!

 

Charleston RiverDogs Jazz up their Menu

This season, Soy Happy has consulted with the Charleston RiverDogs on menu items for their GreenHouse stand. We are happy to share that they heeded every suggestion we offered, including a signature veggie dog (see the update from Tim Sarvona,below) and the option of vegetarian chili as a topping.

Here's what's in the works for hungry and heart happy fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park, a 5,549 seat stadium on the banks of the Ashley River of Charleston, South Carolina: Lightlife Foods' Jumbo SMART dogs (vegan, kosher) and veggie chili (also vegan), hummus and pita chips, organic blue chips, organic trail mix, whole fruits, veggie trays, roasted peanuts, tea, Michelob ultra beer, and mini bottles of wine. Additionally, their popular specialty sandwich made up of peanut butter, banana and honey called "The Elvis" will be served here.

Here is a recent update from Tim Sarvona, the Food & Beverage Director at the RiverDogs' Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park:

The stand is coming along well. We have added a roasted peanut grab bag from Reece's and a trail mix from them as well. Also; we have finalized our specialty dog for the stand. It is called the Grateful Dead Dog (It was supposed to be the grateful dog but the printer made an error and we thought it was funny so we kept it). The Grateful dead dog is a piece of lavash, painted with humus and a Jamaican relish. We then place the veggie dog on it, roll it, and serve it as a wrap. It has done well thus far. Still looking to market it more but each day it is pulling along better!...
The veggie dog with veggie chili has been a great hit. The stand is not
overwhelmed with business but it is always hitting good numbers. Our labor has remained where it needs to be which means we are making the right amount of money!

Of course, fan awareness and a little time will be the ultimate way to gage the success of that stand. If youŐre in the area, catch a game this season! Thank Tim Sarvona while you're there.

Note: The GreenHouse stand is the first stand when you enter the stadium.

Healthy school lunches: what's happening nationwide

The Clinton Foundation has initiated a campaign against childhood obesity by focusing on the need for healthy food options in our nation's schools. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Robert Eckel, president-elect of the American Heart Association, are heading this effort and Clinton already succeeded in brokering a deal with leading beverage makers to reduce the number of calories in drinks sold to schools and to offer healthier beverage choices for schools.

Harlem Children's Zone, Inc , founded in 1970, "is a pioneering, non-profit, community-based organization that works to enhance the quality of life for children and families in some of New York City's most devastated neighborhoods. Formerly known as Rheedlen Centers for Children and Families, HCZ Inc.'s 15 centers serve more than 12,500 children and adults, including over 8,600 at-risk children. The emphasis of our work is not just on education, social service and recreation, but on rebuilding the very fabric of community life."

The charter school at HZC is called Promise Academy. Healthy changes in the cafeteria are a serious focus here. The New York Times recently featured an article about these changes, entitled "Eating, Writing and 'Rithmetic: Harlem Pupils Meet Swiss Chard." It is available to read (in PDF format) through the Harlem Children's Zone home page (link above). Soy Happy contacted the head chef at Promise Academy, inquiring about their menu and how students were responding.

Our menu is created here at Promise Academy to offer a diverse range of foods. I wanted to expose the little people to a variety of foods from different nationalities. The children were very hesitant at first with the new foods. We monitor them on a regular basis and listen to comments about the food, this helps us to alter the recipes and menus as needed. The kids are coming around and eating the food with fewer and fewer complaints as the days go by. The salad bar at promise has become Extremely successful, offering between 8-10 different items and 3 dressings. My staff is very interested in food and really driven towards improving the lives of our kids, this really shows in the food that is produced.

Andrew Benson
Head Chef, Promise Academy

From the Ecoliteracy Institute: " The federal government has issued a mandate, through the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, that provides the opportunity to establish standards for diet and health in our nationŐs public schools. The requirement calls for each school district to form a Wellness Committee and draft a district Wellness Policy that addresses the quality of meals served at school, the regularity of physical education, and instruction connected to diet and health. These school Wellness Policies will go into effect at the beginning of the school year in 2006. The Center for Ecoliteracy, in collaboration with Slow Food USA and the Chez Panisse Foundation, has prepared a downloadable Model Wellness Policy Guide. The Guide provides language and instructions for drafting a Wellness Policy that places health at the center of the academic curriculum."

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine's Healthy School Lunches campaign is calling for nominations for Golden Carrot Awards to recognize healthy school lunch programs. A grand prize of $5,000 will recognize outstanding food service professionals and highlight the role of vegetarian foods and healthy school lunches in the fight against childhood obesity. Nominations will be accepted until September 18, 2006.

Teachers, parents, students and others who want to get involved in the effort to make vegetarian lunch options available in their schools can also refer to the School Lunch page of this web site. There are many organizations listed there that are generating wonderful results! Soy Happy is an advisor to the organization Consumers for Healthy Options to Childrens Education (CHOICE) which has also spearheaded the effort nationwide.

Hospital food: it's changing

It makes no sense that hospital food is almost universally regarded as unhealthy and unappetizing. After all, a facility that specializes in the health and care of the human body should offer food choices that nourish and heal. The good news is that hospitals throughout the country are starting to change their menus to reflect good nutrition.

Kaiser Permanente, the nation's largest nonprofit health system, now has weekly farmers' markets at 29 of its hospitals.

Scripps Memorial Hospital in California and St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Michigan are now offering free cooking classes, offered by a non-profit called The Cancer Project, which focuses on cancer prevention and survival through nutrition education and research. They also offer cooking classes in California and other states. Hospitals interested in offering these free cooking classes, or in promoting the classes already offered in their cities, are encouraged to contact The Cancer Project for more information.

Photo courtesy of Dr. Neal Barnard, Founder of The Cancer Project

Soy Happy's consultation and liaison services have been requested by many food-service establishments. Recent inquiries have come from movieplexes; recreational facilities; college eateries; spas; and even a few international businesses. We help facilitate everything from veggie dogs, burgers, and chili; to soy cheese and dairy-free desserts.

If you are an established food-service establishment interested in utilizing Soy Happy's consultation and liaison services for new vegetarian and vegan menu items, please complete our simple online questionnaire to get started!

Cart vendors and start-up food-service operations are generally unable to contract for the minimal distribution order, so we encourage them to go to a local wholesaler or low cost retail outlet while they develop their customer base and grow their business.