A New Kind of Education

Date: Friday, January 30
The Delivery: A Totally Bamboo cutting-board, some stevia-infused sweeteners, a bottle of hemp oil, and a cookbook
Staff Pick: College just became a little bit easier with PETA's Vegan College Cookbook

The DL: Many colleges have definitely improved on their animal-friendly cafeteria-fare, but new vegans might want a little extra help as they enter the academic world. PETA's new cookbook schools us in staying healthy, veg, and not totally broke.

Winter Meltdown

Date: Thursday, January 29
The Delivery: Two weeks' worth of (non-vegan) vitamins, a pint of hemp ice cream, a whole slew of mother-to-be teas and body products
Staff Pick: The brand new, not-yet-released Tempt Hemp Ice Cream from Living Harvest

The DL: It is curiously warm today at the VNHQ, so it was most pleasing to see this frozen, Coconut Lime treat arrive at our doorstep. Move over winter, spring is coming in fast!

Just Do It! Organically, That Is.

Date: Wednesday, January 28
The Delivery: Mozzarella and Cheddar Teese, organic baby-corn in a can, and some athletic socks
Staff Pick: We want to get our run on with these sporty socks from OrganicAthlete

The DL: The VegNews staff had the pleasure to host OrganicAthlete's Justin Torrellas for lunch today, and we scored these super-cool, coconut-fiber socks. What a great motivator to hit the road for a nice evening run! It's never too late to get a move on.

Monster-Delivery Monday

Date: Monday, January 26
The Delivery: Cruelty-free skincare products, organic cotton baby diapers and blanket, child-size shirts with strong messages, a book, a CD, and some jarred sauces and salsas
Staff Pick: Who can resist these sauces from Native Kjalii Foods with such flavors as Spicy Peanut and Roasted Mole?

The DL: The deliveries just kept rolling in today, but we're not complaining. New products always help to kick-start the work week!

The New Meaning of Cute

Date: Friday, January 23
The Delivery: A Follow Your Heart pizza kit, two books, a bag with a message, some raw cacao nibs, and a stainless-steel bottle

Staff Pick: The "Clean Up The Earth" bag

The DL: There's just no excuse for taking paper or plastic. There are stylish bags coming out from every corner of the market, and every one of them will help decrease that thing we like to call a "carbon footprint." Get yourself a reusable bag and never leave the house without it. It's that simple!

Say Sheese!

Date: Thursday, January 22
The Delivery: Every flavor imaginable of non-dairy cheese and a DVD entitled A Delicate Balance

Staff Pick: Some of us at the VNHQ just about flipped when we saw this gouda-style Sheese

The DL: Cheese is about the number-one reason people have such a hard time going vegan. So we say, "Bring on the soy cheese!" Why so much cheese, you ask? We don't want to give anything away, but you may just want to check out a future issue of VegNews to find out. Our fridge is honestly starting to overflow. Maybe we should host our own (vegan) cheese party!

Watch. Discuss. Learn.

Date: Wednesday, January 21

The Delivery: Sunergia soy cheese and an revealing documentary
Staff Pick: Award-winning documentary Our Daily Bread by Nikolaus Geyrhalter claims to open our eyes to where our food really comes from

The DL: Good documentaries are a great and easy form of activism. Invite your friends and family over, make some good vegan grub, and engross them in a quality film that will open their eyes just a little wider. This film about food production is a good choice—we reviewed it in the March+April '07 issue of VegNews—so be sure to discuss after you're done.

Hooray for Hemp!

Date: Tuesday, January 20

The Delivery: Hemp footwear and books
Staff Pick: The hemp hiking-shoes from Wicked Sportswear are both cool and environmentally friendly

The DL: As seen in the November+December '08 issue of VegNews, hemp is quite the industrious weed, and it's great to see that companies outside of America are taking up this great fiber and making it into a product that everyone loves: shoes! Now it's up to the US to follow suit, and thanks to today's inauguration of President Obama, this may just be a possibility in the future.

Fancy Food Top Five

Date: Monday, January 19

The Delivery: A bunch of new product information from the Fancy Food Show
Staff Pick: The Field Roast booth was definitely the VegNews staff's favorite

The DL: It was quite a busy weekend for the VN staffers, and the Fancy Food Show was just one of the many events, but also one of the most important to This Just In. Food retailers from all over the world came to show off their new-and-exciting goods, and though not all were veg-friendly, we definitely came away from the show with full bellies. Our Top Five Picks?

5. Native Kjalii Foods Spicy Peanut and Roasted Mole sauces
4. granoVita's vegan Mayola (mayo alternative) and Chili Ketchup
3. Coconut-Lime hemp ice cream from Living Harvest
2. Tandoor Chef's Spinach Pakoras with Tamarind-Date Chutney
1. All the delicious products from Field Roast, but especially the White Truffle Country Paté and the Porcini Dijon Cutlets

Keep an eye out for these fabulous new products!

Year of Green

Date: Thursday, January 15

The Delivery: Reading material on how to green your home
Staff Pick: Karyn Siegel-Maier's The Naturally Clean Home takes DIY to a whole new level

The DL: From the look of it, it appears 2009 is going to be the year of going green, and as we said before, it's all about small steps. So pick up a helpful book, such as those shown above, and start greening it up!

Have Some Cheese with that Cake

Date: Wednesday, January 14

The Delivery: Cool, eco-conscious toe-socks, some raw-chocolate truffles, two dark-chocolate bars, several books, and a luscious-looking cheesecake
Staff Pick: We were blown away by the delivery of this cheesecake from Follow Your Heart

The DL: We thought Christmas was over at the VNHQ. That was until this morning when this oh-so-delicious-looking cheesecake came through our door. Its ingredients include Follow Your Heart's new cream cheese and sour cream products, and looks exactly like the real dairy-laden thing! We definitely can't wait to get our hands on a slice. Thanks, Earth Island!

Take a Stand!

Date: Tuesday, January 13

The Delivery: A stainless-steel mug, a reusable bag, three organic-cotton t-shirts, and some sparkling beverages (not vegan, unfortunately)
Staff Pick: Revenge Is... introduces a new type of revenge—helping the environment!

The DL: Those weight-loss resolutions are so passé. Why not change it up this year and resolve to take small steps to help the planet? One would be to stop using disposable cups and water bottles already! Stainless-steel is the way to go, and this mug even has an integrated tea strainer. You can't get any better than that!

Give Us That Parma!

Date: Monday, January 12

The Delivery: A huge bag of Parma!
Staff Pick: We just can't get enough of Parma!, and Eat in the Raw has most definitely obliged us

The DL: Nothing short of chaos ensues at the VNHQ if our Parma! stash runs low. Thanks to this bulk delivery today, we won't have to worry for quite some time. What a wonderful way to start the week!

Book It!

Date: Wednesday, January 7

The Delivery: Two vegan-friendly books
Staff Pick: Veganism and athleticism go hand-in-hand with Brendan Brazier's new book, Thrive

The DL: It may have been a small delivery today, but what it lacked in quantity, it made up for in quality. It's always exciting when veganism is accurately represented as a diet not lacking in the nutrients needed for athletic performance. The VN team definitely is an active bunch, and Brazier's book looks to be an informative guide.

Raw Power, Baby!

Date: Tuesday, January 6

The Delivery: A rawsome onesie and a box full of raw chocolate
Staff Pick: Baby or no baby, this onesie from Rock n Roll Babies is pretty darn cute

The DL: As featured in the May+June 2008 issue of VegNews Magazine, there is quite a debate going on about the issue of procreating. No matter what side you're on, it's hard to disagree with the notion that it's important to raise socially conscious children, and this adorable baby's garment seems to do just that.

A Fresh Start

Date: Monday, January 5

The Delivery: Some reading material, and fresh-and-healthy condiments
Staff Pick: These probiotic-infused salsas and relishes from Zukay Live Foods are now vegan

The DL: VegNews is back to the grindstone after a wonderful holiday, and what better way to start the New Year than with new products! We sure do like our condiments during lunchtime, and this garlic-dill relish looks like a delicious addition. Bring on the tofu dogs!