Long distance considerations

[crescent-zephyr]

I do apologize and it appears Amtrak has hidden the real page that had the specifics of the kosher meals or I am too dense to find it now. However, I found PDF files that show in more detail the breakfast meal and the lunch dinner choices from amtrakfoodfacts.com. The page I previously saw had just a summary of the four meals and was on the Amtrak site.

Breakfast:
http://amtrakfoodfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/AMTRAK-AUTO-011520-29.pdf
Lunch/Dinner choices:
Salmon - http://amtrakfoodfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/AMTRAK-SDG-020620-33.pdf
Chicken - http://amtrakfoodfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/AMTRAK-SDG-020620-32.pdf
Beef - http://amtrakfoodfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/AMTRAK-SDG-020620-34.pdf

I should have checked that I gave you the right link and would have found that it appears to have disappeared.

All of the kosher options contain wheat - I was hoping to try this out on my next trip. I guess it’s more shrimp rice bowls for me. Ha.

 

[tricia]

I do apologize and it appears Amtrak has hidden the real page that had the specifics of the kosher meals or I am too dense to find it now. However, I found PDF files that show in more detail the breakfast meal and the lunch dinner choices from amtrakfoodfacts.com. The page I previously saw had just a summary of the four meals and was on the Amtrak site.

Breakfast:
http://amtrakfoodfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/AMTRAK-AUTO-011520-29.pdf
Lunch/Dinner choices:
Salmon - http://amtrakfoodfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/AMTRAK-SDG-020620-33.pdf
Chicken - http://amtrakfoodfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/AMTRAK-SDG-020620-32.pdf
Beef - http://amtrakfoodfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/AMTRAK-SDG-020620-34.pdf

I should have checked that I gave you the right link and would have found that it appears to have disappeared.

Since the dates on these pages are January and February 2020 (before "flex" came to the western trains), what's actually available might now be different. If anyone reading this calls and asks, please post us a note about actual availability.

 

[me_little_me]

Since the dates on these pages are January and February 2020 (before "flex" came to the western trains), what's actually available might now be different. If anyone reading this calls and asks, please post us a note about actual availability.

As I said, the original page I saw not more than a week or two ago was on the Amtrak site. It had other info (forgot what) on the page and also listed the kosher meals (no pictures). They were the same meals described in the pictures - beef, chicken and salmon for lunch/dinner and omelet for breakfast. I can no longer find that Amtrak page.

Update:
I found it after I saw this post:
COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic: Amtrak Food Service Discussion

One small glimmer of light in the “flexible dining” experience is the ability to pre-order Kosher meals (72 hours are required for the pre-order). On my recent Texas Eagle trip from LA to Austin I ordered the cheese omelette breakfast and the salmon dinner. The breakfast wasn’t the best I’ve ever had by far, but was light years above the normal Jimmy Dean sandwich offerings. I then had the salmon dinner later that night, this dinner was quite impressive and better than what was being prepared in the full diners for the salmon dinner on the last menu.

Note, this post was Jun 27. When I read it (within a day or two), I searched Amtrak until I found the page I described above. When referencing that page, either I referenced the wrong page or it was on that "wrong" page but was subsequently removed.

 

[the_traveler]

I see that all those meals contain eggs and meat.

I am mostly vegan and do not eat meat, but I sometimes eat foods that contain a small amount of eggs. There are many vegans who do not consume ANY animal byproducts - including eggs, milk, honey, cheese, etc... What about us?

BTW - This morning, I had a bagel with dairy free cream cheese and dairy free yogurt. One is made with almond milk and one with coconut milk.

 

[Qapla]

It makes sense that the "Kosher" meals may contain wheat, gluten, eggs, dairy and other foods people choose not to eat ... they are "Kosher", not vegan, gluten free, diabetic or any other dietary restricted meals ... they are "Kosher"

"Kosher" describes any food or beverage that Jewish dietary laws allow a person to eat. It's not a style of cooking. Keeping kosher is much more complex than that. Rules are the foundation of kosher food

Kosher foods are those that conform to the Jewish dietary regulations of kashrut, primarily derived from Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Food that may be consumed according to halakha is termed kosher in English, from the Ashkenazi pronunciation of the Hebrew term kashér, meaning "fit".

 

[the_traveler]

So what options are available for vegans?

 

[Bob Dylan]

So what options are available for vegans?

Go to a good Vegan Cafe or cook @ home!

 

[PVD]

This is what they say, to what extent it is true I have no idea.
Vegan meals are available in limited quantities for traditional and flexible dining services. No advance notice is required. Vegan meals are also available on Acela First class dining service with advance notice 24 hours prior to the train’s origin station departure. To reserve vegan meals on Acela First class, call 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245). TTY service is available at 1-800-523-6590

 

[Qapla]

The vegan and gluten-free sector has not had the lobbying that the Kosher did ... Kosher has been available for a long, long time whereas vegan and gluten-free are fairly new to the food business as a whole

 

[PVD]

Gluten free has 2 main factions, those who have a medical condition such as celiac that makes gluten a potentially very dangerous thing, and those who have concerns about it as a part of ones diet (it is a naturally occurring component of certain commonly eaten foods) for some real and many not so real reasons. Vegetarian has had a large group of followers for a long time, both for religious and dietary reasons, vegan as a subset is tougher to a) define since there is disagreement amongst adherents as to products and b) it really narrows choices considerably

 

[the_traveler]

vegan as a subset is tougher to a) define since there is disagreement amongst adherents as to products and b) it really narrows choices considerably

Why do you say it’s tougher to define? I’ll define it for you in 3 words:

NO ANIMAL PRODUCTS

That includes things like meat, milk, cheese, butter, eggs, honey, even gelatin. And if you think it’s only vegetables, you couldn’t be more wrong! I have things like:

Burgers
Smart dogs
Macaroni & cheese
”Chicken” stir fry
Pizza with “bacon”
Spaghetti and “meatballs”
Cakes with frosting
Donuts and cookies
Etc..., etc..., etc...

Not to pass blame, but isn’t it ironic that many of these pandemics (including COVID-19) have been traced back to meat or meat processing plants?

And stores seem to be out of (or we’re out of) items. I make my own milk, cheese, butter, (n)ice cream, burgers, etc...

 

[PVD]

The problem in definition is that some avoid all animal products including honey, or certain beers or wines that may have undergone fining through charcoal which is animal, but remains in molecular traces, while other do not. So the definition is a slight blurred line. I eat regularly (or did) at a vegetarian coffee shop, they list the vegan options on the menu, but even that provides for a few asterisks..

 

[the_traveler]

Do you realize that most “regular” sugar is refined by passing it thru bone char - which is ground up bone?

Other sweeteners you can use include coconut sugar, maple sugar, date sugar, maple syrup and agave.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

There is no problem with definition - honey is not vegan.

As has been said... vegan = no animal products. It’s as simple as that.

 

[Qapla]

That includes things like meat, milk, cheese, butter, eggs, honey, even gelatin. And if you think it’s only vegetables, you couldn’t be more wrong! I have things like:
Burgers
Smart dogs
Macaroni & cheese
”Chicken” stir fry
Pizza with “bacon”
Spaghetti and “meatballs”
Cakes with frosting
Donuts and cookies

I find it interesting that people who do not eat meat, cheese, butter, eggs, etc. try so hard to make their vegan food taste so much like these things.

Not to pass blame, but isn’t it ironic that many of these pandemics (including COVID-19) have been traced back to meat or meat processing plants?

And many of the E.coli outbreaks came from lettuce and other plants ...

 

[the_traveler]

The problem in definition is that some avoid all animal products including honey, or certain beers or wines that may have undergone fining through charcoal which is animal, but remains in molecular traces, while other do not. So the definition is a slight blurred line. I eat regularly (or did) at a vegetarian coffee shop, they list the vegan options on the menu, but even that provides for a few asterisks..

And some meat eaters also avoid steak or veal or fish or ... also.

 

[PVD]

Yes, my point was that different people who identify as vegans may have their own standards of what is acceptable or not. It certainly should not take away from the idea that minimizing animal products in one's diet may bring major benefits to the health of an individual, and also the planet. Many people eliminate animal products from life in general, and have synthetic shoes and belts as well as other items.

 

[PVD]

E Coli is a gut bacteria in animals/humans....how it gets on crops is on us............

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

So what options are available for vegans?

Looks like a black coffee diet for you, Dave!

Seriously, I think any Amtrak vegan options will start getting more publicity and advertising.

Dave, you were ahead of many people in going vegan, but it seems to be a trend now.

We have a vegan cafe in my small town—from what I can tell as I walk by it, the people who go there are either young people in their 20s or hippie types in their 60s.

Amtrak might not care about people in their 60s but probably will want to please the ones in their 20s, so they might promote their vegan options if there is enough demand from young people.

By the way, the two places doing really well with outside dining in my town are the vegan cafe and the pizza restaurant!

 

[Qapla]

E Coli is a gut bacteria in animals/humans....how it gets on crops is on us............

That may be ... but the comment was about the "spread" of the (whatever) came from the "processing/packaging" plant ... the same is true of the (whatever) that spread from the "packaging/processing" facility for the veggies that were contaminated.

So, let's not blame the "meat" or the "veggies" - let's blame the people who handle it, not the food.

 

[PVD]

They claim to have vegan options available, I certainly do not know how real tht is.

 

[the_traveler]

I have heard from many sources that COVID-19 was traced to China and wet markets, and also that there were shortages of meat because many meat processing plants were shut due to a large employee concentration of the virus. I never heard of a large farm being shut down because of COVID-19.

 

[PVD]

In some cases the field and irrigation water, or contaminated runoff from animal farms, not processing.

 

[Qapla]

I have heard from many sources that COVID-19 was traced to China and wet markets, and also that there were shortages of meat because many meat processing plants were shut due to a large employee concentration of the virus. I never heard of a large farm being shut down because of COVID-19.

Maybe you should watch more news ... there has been a shortage of "pickers" for farms due to C-19.

Here in our area one county have a huge spike in C-19 cases when the pickers showed up to harvest. Not only did it have an impact on the local population exposure, it also hampered the harvest of several farms

 

[PVD]

We have had some closed in NY, but it was not the plants, it was the workers. A huge greenhouse farm in Madison County had a major outbreak, and need to be shut, but it wasn't because of the plants, it was the people that worked there.