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In this issue we celebrate our volunteers’ hard work to improve the lives of older vegans and vegetarians through our Friends’ Challenge. We welcome three V for Life Friends onto our Wall of Champions we hope their stories will inspire you to join them.

We also report on our work with UK care home regulators to ensure their standards recognise the philosophical and ethical choices of older veg*ns.  The issue also covers the case of a care home resident in Scotland whose ethical commitment to a meat-free diet was ignored by those responsible for her wellbeing. 
 

Care home chefs can build their confidence with our online Meatfree 101 training course, tailored to fit around their busy working lives.  And our own busy chefs share a recipe they have been raving about – chunky clam chowder . Just the thing as we ease into autumn. 

We also share a recipe for a warming sausage and gnocchi bake; both recipes feature in our One-pot meals recipe collection – it’s free to download, and contains plenty of ideas for tasty vegan meals.

This publication is aimed at older vegans and vegetarians and those who cater for them.

This collection is about real food – affordable, accessible, and full of flavour. No specialist ingredients, no complicated techniques, just practical meals for everyday life. Now, let’s get cooking.

Simple, affordable, and nutritious meals for older adults – perfect for home cooks, carers, and small-scale care homes.

We’re excited to bring you the latest issue of Vintage. Our charity aims to support older vegans and vegetarians (veg*ns) and their carers – we hope this issue confirms that a veg*n lifestyle is to be enjoyed at any age. We’ve packed these pages with ideas about how to make fantastic food and expert advice.

We recently hosted our eighth annual Awards for Excellence in Vegetarian and Vegan Care Catering, which celebrated vegan fine dining in care. See our report from the Houses of Parliament on page 4. 

This issue also features a Golden Years supplement, in which we hear from TV presenters Wendy Turner-Webster and Jasmine Harman about enjoying veg*n life. Wendy shares her passion for compassionate clothing (page 22), while Jasmine gives tips for veggie travel (page 26). As we get older, our dietary needs change, so we also talk to nutritionist Rohini Bajekal about meeting those requirements and enjoying a healthy diet well into our later years (see page 24).

We have practical advice on catering for allergies (page 36) and medical needs, and ensuring that veg*ns receive the right hospital care (see page 8). We also reveal our latest publications for the care sector, which promote communication between staff and veg*n residents. Find out more on page 40.

Whether it’s baking with sourdough (page 10) or tips for treating your dog (page 16), this issue has something for everyone.

This publication is aimed at older vegans and vegetarians.

One-pot and one-pan dishes are a fantastic way to feed the whole family easily, minimise washing up, and reduce food waste. For fuss-free midweek dinners, our one-pot meals are your go-to solution when you’re too tired or short on time to cook. We’ve curated a selection of recipes that require minimal prep and let the stove or oven do most of the work.

This publication is aimed at older vegans and vegetarians.

If someone requires a texture-modified diet, it’s important to remember they may still have other dietary requirements that need to be catered for too. Every person is an individual with individual food choices. As well as considering food preferences still, any special dietary choices and needs should also be factored in. Vegetarians and vegans for example should have their dietary choices respected and catered for when requiring a texture-modified diet

The publication primarily provides advice for professional chefs and those catering for older people.

When catering for veg*ns you are supporting their identity, life choices, and individuality. This stuff is important. Take an interest in the choices that residents make. There’s no point spending hours creating dishes that won’t be enjoyed. Veg*ns are a broad group. Some enjoy mock meat products, others prefer less processed foods and wholefoods.

We hope that this short collection of recipes will give you some new ideas and inspiration.

The publication primarily provides advice for professional chefs and those catering for older people.

This self-advocacy guide aims to empower vegans and vegetarians receiving care. Within it, you’ll find details of the main laws and regulations that protect your and your loved one’s rights to practice your beliefs. We explain the steps you can take to ensure that these rights are met.

Needing care can be a worrying experience. Among the challenges may be a sense of losing control over your diet. With less independence, people may be unable to shop, cook and ensure that their dietary values and beliefs are being met. 

This publication is aimed at older vegans and vegetarians and their loved ones.

This self-advocacy guide aims to empower vegans and vegetarians receiving care. Within it, you’ll find details of the main laws and regulations that protect your and your loved one’s rights to practice your beliefs. We explain the steps you can take to ensure that these rights are met.

Needing care can be a worrying experience. Among the challenges may be a sense of losing control over your diet. With less independence, people may be unable to shop, cook and ensure that their dietary values and beliefs are being met. 

This publication is aimed at older vegans and vegetarians and their loved ones.

This self-advocacy guide aims to empower vegans and vegetarians receiving care. Within it, you’ll find details of the main laws and regulations that protect your and your loved one’s rights to practice your beliefs. We explain the steps you can take to ensure that these rights are met.

Needing care can be a worrying experience. Among the challenges may be a sense of losing control over your diet. With less independence, people may be unable to shop, cook and ensure that their dietary values and beliefs are being met. 

This publication is aimed at older vegans and vegetarians and their loved ones.

This self-advocacy guide aims to empower vegans and vegetarians receiving care. Within it, you’ll find details of the main laws and regulations that protect your and your loved one’s rights to practice your beliefs. We explain the steps you can take to ensure that these rights are met.

Needing care can be a worrying experience. Among the challenges may be a sense of losing control over your diet. With less independence, people may be unable to shop, cook and ensure that their dietary values and beliefs are being met. 

This publication is aimed at older vegans and vegetarians and their loved ones.

​Where to start

Why not ask the individual you care for what kind of products and brands they would usually purchase? Where would they shop? 

If you're caring for the person in their own home, you should be able to see their current items and continue to buy these brands.

If a person moves into your care home, find out if their veg*n lifestyle impacts on their choice of toiletries, bedding or cleaning products. This ensures that you're providing excellent person-centred care.

This publication is aimed at those caring for a vegan or vegetarian.

Vegan baking is enjoying a wave of popularity. In recent years, a number of ready-made vegan cakes have launched in supermarkets – and many catering suppliers have been increasing their vegan ranges, too.

With the number of vegans on the rise – almost trebling in UK residential care homes, according to Vegetarian for Life’s recent survey – the demand for satisfying vegan desserts is increasing, too.

Just because someone chooses to be vegan doesn’t mean that they should miss out on their favourite sweet treats. Enjoyment of food is an important aspect of life. And if someone is
receiving care, food can feel more important still. The smells and tastes of baking can evoke fond memories. If someone is struggling to eat and losing weight, providing a tempting slice of their favourite cake and a cuppa can be an easy, enjoyable way for them to get those much-needed extra calories.

Even if someone isn’t vegan, they might still exclude eggs or dairy from their diet because of allergies or religious beliefs. By learning and applying the secrets of vegan baking, you will ensure that your tasty bakes can be enjoyed by all.

Moving away from using dairy and eggs might seem difficult at first. But a few simple switches will enable you to enjoy your favourite baked treats, animal-product free.

We hope that this guide provides plenty of inspiration. If it has sparked your appetite to learn more, Vegetarian for Life also runs one-day vegan baking courses for professional
caterers. These will give your team the tools for success to use tried-and-tested egg- and dairy- replacements to create a variety of delicious desserts.

Happy vegan baking!

The publication primarily provides advice for professional chefs and those catering for older people.