Food Giveaways

"Wow. That actually tastes really good." At first, a college student who had skipped breakfast was annoyed to hear that the free chicken nuggets being distributed on campus were not actually chicken, but a vegan substitute. "There's no way that tastes like a chicken nugget," he said, begrudgingly taking a bite. After one satisfying taste, the surprised student decided to try some other veg foods and even left with a pamphlet about factory farming and vegetarian diets.

We have found that the best way to people's hearts is quite often through their stomachs. Many are delighted to discover that going veg doesn't have to mean giving up some of their favorite foods.

Thanks to a generous donation from one of our biggest supporters, CAA was able to expand our Food Giveaway program in 2010. In addition to the Annual Vegan Food Showcase on the University of Minnesota campus, we distributed samples of delicious vegan food at several Twin Cities area festivals and events. One of the biggest successes of 2010 was CAA's food giveaway booth at Grand Old Day, the largest one-day festival in the Midwest. Throughout the event, volunteers distributed an estimated 27,000 food samples to attendees, many of whom had never even tried a veggie burger before! At the same time, activists were able to engage the festival-goers in conversation about factory farming and distribute thousands of pieces of literature.

Food Giveaways work because they allow us to approach the public in a fun and friendly manner. Rather than presenting veg diets as restrictive and boring, we showcase a wide variety of delicious animal-friendly foods. Nothing makes someone more likely to accept a leaflet than having just tried some delicious vegan food.