Cruelty-Free: Potluck Parties
I don’t know about you, but I’m always ready for a party! Hosting a vegetarian potluck is a fun way to get everyone together, with next to no fuss on your end. What I love about potlucks is that they tend to be very casual and relaxed. And everyone usually walks away with a few new ideas to try at home. Even for non-vegetarian friends, thinking up a vegetarian dish to add to the table is easy… for veg novices, I suggest bringing a bowl of rice pilaf, a plate of pita chips and some dip, or maybe a vegetable medley. A vegetarian potluck means good times for all!
Perks of the potluck:
- Everyone brings something, so there’s no heavy preparations (or costs) for the host.
- Potlucks invite creativity — people will whip up all kinds of interesting things to add to the table.
- No worries about having to serve something that every person will like, and no worries about your guests’ food allergies. There are usually so many options, it’s easy for guests to select what works for them and appeals to them most.
- No massive amounts of left-overs if people don’t show up that you planned for, or if you have a tendency to make too much food (that’s the Italian in me — always cooking for legions even when it’s a small get-together!). Although guests sometime leave you with whatever is left of their contribution, most of the time they’ll grab their dish when they’re saying goodbye. Also makes for an easier clean-up!
Tips for the host:
- As the potluck host, I always provide the drinks. I usually have non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. I’ve found that a couple of carafes of chai tea add a nice touch.
- Provide all the plates, cups, utensils. (Don’t forget to have bowls and spoons handy for any soups! )
- I’ve made the switch to using recycled, re-usable plateware, utensils and cups by Preserve — so that’s another repeated party expense I’ve eliminated.
- Send out your invitations using Evite.com, which allows your guests to view responses. This will give everyone an idea of how many people are coming, which sometimes can be helpful in deciding what to bring and how much of it.
- “No Desserts Please.” Include this with your invite. There likely will be a couple of people who still show up with some chocolates or cookies… which is fine. But it will save you from the possibility of having a table of only desserts for dinner. If there’s a holiday or occasion near the party date, I’ve been known to offer up a cake for everyone to highlight the celebration.
- Vegetarian or vegan? If you hang with a largely vegan crowd, by all means take it to the next level! However, most of us have a considerable number of non-vegetarian friends, and asking for strictly vegan dishes can be daunting to the point of excluding some of your chums from the fun. Besides, I’ve had some non-veg friends who have been so pleasantly surprised by the vegetarian delectable delights, that they’ve decided to make some cruelty-free changes in their own eating styles — now that’s something to celebrate!
Cruelty-Free: Plastic Bags — so passé!
Plastic bags do not make for a happy and healthy Planet Earth. Between 500 billion and a trillion plastic grocery bags are used each year — and each one will take up to 1,000 years to degrade. Next question: where are all these bags going to take their sweet time degrading?
There are masses of plastic bags the size of Connecticut floating in the ocean. Sea turtles and other marine animals mistake the plastic bags for food and eat them. If you’re needing some extra incentive to kick the plastic-bag habit, you might want to consider a variation of the old adage “you are what you eat.” These days, you are whatever you eat eats. If you eat fish, you may be eating fish that have ingested plastic. Nasty.
Some tips to cut back on plastic bag use:
At the Grocery Store
Re-usable totes and duffels. Stores including Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods encourage customers to make the switch to re-usable bags and offer a variety for purchase, for as little as 99 cents per bag. I keep my reusable bags in the trunk of my car, so they’re always handy… for use at other stores, too!
At Home
I’m a fan of Simplehuman’s biodegradable trashcan liners, but I’ve found some other options:
· Biobag: 100% biodegradable and compostable. Available in “tall kitchen” (13 gallon) and “leaf and lawn” (30 gallon) sizes. I checked my local Whole Foods today, and they had both sizes in stock.
· Eco-Smart: also 100% biodegradable and compostable. Available at your local CVS Pharmacy, the Vitamin Shoppe, and Amazon.com.
· Seventh Generation: These bags are made from recycled plastic (55% recycled, 16% post-consumer; the larger size is 80% recycled plastic). Any new parents out there? Check out Seventh Generation’s diapers while you’re shopping!
Dogs/Cats
I’ve always re-used plastic grocery bags for “poop patrol.” However, I’ve just discovered 100% biodegradable dog poop bags, so I’m going to give them a try! Here’s the scoop:
· Poopbags.com: The bags come in two sizes — regular and jumbo-size for big dogs. Cat guardians might want to try the biodegradable cat pan liners, also available on the site. Apparently, the liners can be good especially for cats with allergies. Who knew?
· Flush Puppies: Flushable dog poop bags, which are designed to dissolve in water. Available at e3living.com
· Repellum Dog Poop Bags: made by Eco-Smart.
If plastic bags still find their way into your house, make re-using them a rule… In our own home, we have the grocery bag holder by Simplehuman. This sleek stainless steel holder stores up to 30 plastic grocery bags.
Bonus tip! While we’re on the subject of plastic, I want to quickly mention the problem posed by those plastic rings holding together most 6-packs of bottle and cans. We don’t want marine animals eating plastic — and we don’t want them getting entangled in plastic, either. Many animals are unable to free themselves once they become entangled, and some even strangle themselves to death. So, before throwing away any 6-pack rings, please remember to take scissors in hand and cut apart the rings. A few seconds with the scissors can mean saving a life.
Cruelty-Free: Wines
When I think of wines, I think of the rolling hills of Tuscany. I envision the grapes on the vines, and then I imagine my Italian ancestors pouring generously and laughing heartily as they drink in the aroma as well as the tastes of the trebbiano, grechetto, and nebbiolo. What I don’t think about are the ingredients that might find their way into the process of making the wine, ingredients that come and go before the wine makes it into the bottle and into my glass. Often, vintners use animal-derived products as clarifying agents: egg whites, casein, gelatin, isinglass and — in some countries other than the US and France — even blood from large mammals (gasp!). The good news is that, with the increased focus on organic options, many vintners are choosing to use bentonite (clay) in place of the animal-based agents. Many kosher wines also are animal-friendly, but not all — using egg whites or gelatin is acceptable because the agent is removed from the final product.
Unfortunately, it’s precisely because the agents are removed from the final product that they are not listed on the label. So I’ve found some resources where you can look up your favorites to find out their status… and perhaps explore some wines and spirits that are new to you.
Barnivore: Look up wines by brand names; also lists beers and liquors.
Vegan Wine Guide: This site allows you to search by Type and Country.
Online Retailers:
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The Organic Wine Company (“vegan” selection)
