Meatless Monday in the Food Truck Industry

[MidwestRick]

While the idea is not new, there is a movement afoot aimed at changing the way we eat one day a week and Mobile Cuisine Magazine is jumping into it with both feet. Starting today we are introducing a new direction for our food truck industry coverage on Mondays.

To do our part in supporting Meatless Mondays we believe that sharing information, recipes, and news about vegetarianism and leading a more conscious life overall is beneficial for everyone, vegetarian and omnivore alike.

Sid Lerner, 79, an advertising specialist who worked on one of the most successful US advertising campaigns, the “Squeeze the Charmin” campaign is the man who has revived the Meatless Monday campaign after its being dormant since the World War II era. Learner faces the same challenge selling the concept of Meatless Monday as he did with toilet paper. He has to turn the mundane idea of “moderation” into something irresistible.

He’s started his own nonprofit which blends social media and Madison Avenue technique to spread the word. Lerner raises money from foundations and collaborates with health experts. To help make their message exciting, he’s trying to bring top chefs into the fold. Wolfgang Puck and Mario Batali have both endorsed the concept, offering some Meatless Monday options.

Find the whole article here: http://mobilecuisine.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/meatless-monday-in-the-food-truck-industry/#

[HereSince1628]

1. Whew!!That's a relief!!!!

Fat free Friday would've simply WRECKED Fish Frys!!!

BTW

I'd gladly settle for Boca burger on Monday if you would let me pay next Tuesday!

[MidwestRick]

3. LOL

Absolutely.

-MR

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. Never fly from what I see, but glad to see people showing initiative regardless

[MidwestRick]

5. I wouldn't be so sure

It's not asking people to drop meat entirely. Just one day...and if not for anything else...it will help your health, your wallet, and our planet, without asking someone to go vegetarian or vegan for the rest of their lives. I tried being vegetarian for about a year and couldn't cut the entire week, but for one day, hell, I can do that. :)

-MR

[ProgressiveProfessor]

13. Would depend mostly on the clientele

And given the historic clientele of food truck, I can not see it happening

[MidwestRick]

14. This is more along the lines of gourmet food trucks

The number 1 ranked food truck in LA is the Grilled Cheese truck (followed by a bbq pork truck)...la

[K8-EEE]

21. There are actually great vegan restaurants and food trucks here in LA

I would love to think junk food is over, but at least now there are a lot of tasty alternatives!

[kctim]

4. Thanks for the warning

will be sure to keep an eye open and plan accordingly if they do something as dumb as this.

[MidwestRick]

6. I'm not suggesting this is for everyone...

but for those of us that can deal with dropping meat one day a week, it's a good cause to support. In regards to the food truck industry, sure there are some vegi trucks, but in many cases, it will be more along the lines for them to offer a vegetarian menu item.

-MR

[kctim]

11. I was sincere

in saying thank you. I would hate to waste my time showing up on a Monday and them not having something good. Now I know to ask the owners in advance.
Again, thank you.

[Codeine]

32. You honestly can't have a meatless meal?

That's pretty pathetic, especially considering the ecological impact that meat production has.

[K8-EEE]

40. I think it's really true for a lot of people

Which would kind of explain a lot of our chronic health issues in the US.

[K8-EEE]

27. Wow....

The snark and the hostility of even the suggestion of a meatless meal never ceases to amaze me.

[flvegan]

38. Welcome to DU?

[HopeHoops]

7. Hummus wraps with sliced mushrooms, fresh spinach, red pepper, and avacado.

Damn. Now I'm hungry.

[MidwestRick]

8. My favorite

vegetarian sandwich I was introduced to by my Lebanese wife. Falafel. Mmmmmmmm.

-MR

[HopeHoops]

9. We've been vegetarian since '89. I love my new food world.

[MidwestRick]

10. Congrats

I just missed ribs, burgers and chicken too much. :)

-MR

[HopeHoops]

12. The smell makes me gag now (and has for a long time).

My three daughters are all life-long vegetarians (15, 17, and 19) and they're all lean, mean fighting machines - 2nd degree black belts even. My wife's a 3rd degree black belt, under 5' tall, and all of 95 lbs, but don't fuck with her. :evilgrin:

[Codeine]

36. You know what's weird?

I've been a vegan since 1989 with zero lapses yet I still think meat smells gosh-darned delicious and I still VIVIDLY remember the flavor of a nice chuck steak with a pat of butter and a slathering of A1 Sauce. Very odd.

[K8-EEE]

22. I make those all the time but with avo, cucumber and tomato

And spicy jalepeno hummus!

[Codeine]

33. Saute those mushrooms to a golden brown and replace the peppers

with some caramelized onions and I am ALL over it.

[flvegan]

15. See these canines?! They're for every day, not Tues-Sun!

I didn't evolve this far to avoid eatin' critter every single day!

WHARRGARRRBLE!!!

:rofl:

[Codeine]

35. These people are a fucking joke.

About to shit themselves over the very IDEA of cutting out a tiny portion of the meat (not the cheese and eggs, mind) they cram down their gullets in a week. Good lord.

[flvegan]

39. Yep. Amazing sometimes.

[damntexdem]

16. What happens in Vegan stays in Vegan.

Leave my meat alone!

;-)

[MidwestRick]

17. One day a week.

I promise, your colon will thank you :)

-MR

[librechik]

18. thanks for the great links

[MidwestRick]

19. I appreciate it

I try to write relevant and entertaining articles every weekday. The ezine will be moving to a non-wordpress url in December, with a lot more content.

-MR

[K8-EEE]

I appreciate it too!

I know the carnies always have to mock the idea of having even one day or meal without animals in it.....but a lot of us are trying to eat a more plant-based diet and enjoy this info!

[K8-EEE]

23. Ooops dupe sorry!

I know the carnies always have to mock the idea of having even one day or meal without animals in it.....but a lot of us are trying to eat a more plant-based diet and enjoy this info!

[K8-EEE]

24. Sorry -- sticky button on my laptop! Disregard!

I know the carnies always have to mock the idea of having even one day or meal without animals in it.....but a lot of us are trying to eat a more plant-based diet and enjoy this info!

[MidwestRick]

28. Haha

No problems. I've run into the same issue from time to time.

-MR

[MidwestRick]

20. Food Truck Profile: Dosa Truck

To follow our Meatless Monday theme, we bring you a profile of one of Los Angeles’ only vegetarian food trucks.

The Dosa Truck is the brainchild of Brooklyn born, Leena Deneroff. Ms Deneroff grew up eating from many NY food trucks as well as from other various street food vendors. She had always wanted to open a restaurant, but couldn’t afford to do so financially. The mobile food trend allowed her to fulfill her dreams in 2009. The truck’s name originates from the style of South Indian cuisine they serve. The dosa is explained on their website as, “Take a crispy sourdough crepe made from rice and lentil flour… stuff it with regional and gourmet ingredients and roll it long and thin and you’ve got a DOSA.“ In our opinion the best way to describe the dosa is to take a French crepe, introduce it to a Mexican quesadilla and then match the pair with Indian pesto.

http://mobilecuisine.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/food-cart-profile-dosa-truck/

[shockra]

25. The Cinnamon Snail

I recently read about a vegan food truck in Hoboken.
Wow! What a menu.

http://www.cinnamonsnail.com/

[MidwestRick]

29. Thanks for the heads up

I will being doing profiles on trucks that are vegetarian or serve fantastic vegi cuisine on Mondays from now on. I will tab this one to profile down the road.

-MR

[Missy Vixen]

26. Sounds delicious

Our favorite food truck is in Fremont, a neighborhood in Seattle. They serve the best Mexican food we've ever eaten. I wonder what they might come up with for Meatless Mondays, if they decide to participate.

I'll also look forward to what Mr. Lerner comes up with.

[MidwestRick]

30. Just found out

the Meatless Monday twitter account linked up the article to it's followers. Woohoo. Glad they liked it.

-MR

[Ron Green]

31. Meat on one or two days a week works for me.

Every day would be overkill, so to speak.

[K8-EEE]

37. That's what we do too...so much more economical too!

I am making soyrizo and spinach pasta tonight.....it's YUMMY! My hub doesn't mind all the veg dinners all week as long as they're really GOOD, and if we can do a big bbq blowout on Sunday night, so that's what we do.

[petronius]

34. Maybe I misuderstood the article, but it doesn't say that any trucks are going meatfree on Mon,

just that the column is going to share recipes in case anyone wants to expand vegetarian options.

But even if they were, it sounds interesting to me - we have no food trucks here, but if we did and they decided to change it up one day a week that sounds like it could be fun (even if the motivation is to try and trick us into being healthy). I'd assume that they'd try to do something pretty special on that day, after all...