Based on research evidence summarized in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Permanente Journal, the nation’s largest health provider Kaiser Permanente now wants its 22,000+ physicians to recommend that patients follow a low-fat, whole foods, plant-based diet. This is one that includes vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and small amounts of healthy fats, and that excludes animal products (’such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and eggs‘), processed foods, and sweets. —Source: Kaiser Permanente’s Nutritional Update for Physicians: Plant-Based Diets

In its patient education materials, Kaiser provides the following motivation for adopting a plant-based diet:

Concern for the environment has become a large motivator for people choosing plant-based eating. According to a Technomic’s consumer trend report, the percentage of people who reported eating plant-based meals in order to be more sustainable and socially responsible increased by 44% between 2014 and 2017. —Source: Good Food Institute

Factory farming supplies most meat consumed in the U.S., and consumers are increasingly aware of the detrimental environmental impacts of factory farming, including greenhouse gas emissions from methane, land and water use, and extreme pollution.

More and more people are becoming aware of the conditions of the suffering animals endure in factory farms, where most meat consumed in the U.S. is produced. After discovering the conditions in which animals are raised, some have stopped eating meat, others have started reducing their consumption of animals, and still others want but struggle to make a change, especially in areas where food options are limited.

One of the best sources on the health benefits of plant-based eating is NutritionFacts.org.

Another source on the range of health benefits associated with plant-based eating is the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies.

If you’re transitioning to eating plant-based, try this starter kit from Vegan.com.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine provides this 21-Day Vegan Kickstart guide online or via mobile app.

Take a close look at “What the Shift Toward Vegan Eating Means for Your Restaurant” (June 2018) from Food News Media.

This guide to creating plant-based entrées offers creative ideas and inspiration, courtesy of the Good Food Institute.

This database of plant-based food products lists items available now in foodservice and retail distributors, courtesy of GFI.

Want to see your business listed here and reach the rapidly growing market of customers seeking healthy, plant-based options?

Here's how:

1. Clearly label your menu so that customers know about the 100% plant-based (a.k.a. vegan) items on your menu. For example:

Use the term “vegan” when a menu item is 100% plant-based—either in the item’s name, in its description, or next to its listing in the menu. This is the best way to indicate an item is 100% plant-based for your customers.

If space on your menu is at a premium, you can place an asterisk, a symbol, or an abbreviation next to the menu item, then add a key that explains it at the bottom of your menu—for example, “Ve” to signify that the item is vegan, and “v.o.” to signify that a vegan option is available for that item upon request.

At a minimum, include a note somewhere on your menu such as “Vegan Options Available” or “Ask about our vegan options”.

Be sure to take one of these steps not only on your printed menu, but also on your wall menu and your website menu, to ensure a hassle-free experience for your customers—and your staff.

2. Train your staff so they know what plant-based eating means and can respond quickly and accurately when your customers ask what vegan options you offer or whether an item is—or can be made—vegan.

3. Experiment with recipes so that you can include more healthy and delicious 100% plant-based offerings on your menu. Search the web for a ton of plant-based recipes in virtually every culinary tradition!