Vegan Goes Mainstream

Embraced by celebrities, the media, and even the business world, the vegan lifestyle has skyrocketed in popularity over the past year. Veg menus abound in upscale restaurants, magazines cover veganism like never before, and meat-free cookbooks fly off bookstore shelves. With our finger on the pulse of the vegan movement, VegNews’ editors scoured the most compelling news stories of the year to determine the most significant indicators of veganism going mainstream. Here are our top 10.

1. Good Housekeeping announces that it’s publishing an all-vegan cookbook in early 2011. (read story here)

2. Food Network’s sister network, the Cooking Channel, airs its first-ever vegetarian program, The Veg Edge. (read story here)

3. Vegan chef and winner of hit food program “Cupcake Wars” Chloe Coscarelli graces the cover of Woman’s World magazine. (read story here)

4. In January, three vegan books landed on The New York Times’ best-seller list, including The Kind Life by Alicia Silverstone, The Conscious Cook by Tal Ronnen, and Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin.

5. Bill Clinton experiments with veganism to cure ongoing heart problems (of the physical variety). (read story here)

6. Bloomberg Businessweek publishes an article on the rise of “power vegans,” including hotelier Steve Wynn, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres, and musician/entrepreneur Russell Simmons. (read story here)

7. Celebrity chef Mario Batali embraces Meatless Mondays and offers veg dishes in all 14 of his restaurants. (read story here)

8. 7-Eleven tests vegan entrées in select stores in New York City. (read story here)

9. Kathy Freston, best-selling author and Oprah Winfrey’s health guru, is coming out with a book entitled Veganist in February 2011.

10. Us Weekly magazine proclaims veganism “Hollywood’s hottest trend” in a story on its website, highlighting the benefits of a meat-free diet, its popularity amongst celebrities, and the rise in vegan beauty products and high-fashion handbags. (read story here)