Despite the pandemic, vegetarian education continues online

December 15, 2020 – COVID-19, with its second surge, has shut down most face-to-face events at meetups. Restaurants have had to reclose indoor dining while colder weather discourages the outdoor counterpart. Grocery stores have resorted to pickup and delivery services to offset the inconvenient delays from social distancing. Libraries have limited admissions or browsing, but online holds offer options if borrowers know the title or author of particular books.

So how do we manage to keep ourselves updated on research studies, recipes and other things vegetarian? Online, my friend, online.

• Start with this blog and go to Resources to learn where cooking classes and other vegetarian educational activities are, and sources for recipes and meetups in the area. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine(www.pcrm.org), its more local counterpart Plant Based Nutrition Movement (www.pbnm.org), and The Vegan Museum(www.veganmuseum.org) offer the most researched material on vegetarian living in the country: they also offer recipes and podcasts. The first two offer cooking classes; the third historical research, but this blog provides more in its article on southside contributions to vegetarian history.

• The Seventh Day Adventist Church periodically offers speakers from both the Illinois (www.ilcsda.org) and Lake Region conferences (www.lrcsda.org); ChicagoVeg meetup(www.meetup.com/chicagoveg) often cosponsors events with the Elmhurst church(www.ilcsda.org); the museum with churches from both conferences. Both the meetup and museum offer limited seating for face-to-face meeting beside their online meetings.

• The museum, Nutritionist Deepa, and Monkey & Me Kitchen Adventures all have their own YouTube channels.
• Newer sources — Brand New Vegan(www.brandnewvegan.com) offers articles, while Monkey & Me (www.monkeyandmekitchenadventures.com)provides tips for beginners.

Where do you get information about the vegetarian lifestyle?