Many of the harms inflicted on animals involve complicated systems over which we have no direct control. But most of us do have control over what goes in our mouths, what we wear, and which products and services we purchase.

By eating and shopping compassionately, we can help animals starting right now. Here are some vegan eateries and businesses close by.

Peace of Mind Bakery

Peace of Mind Bakery is vegan and gluten free bakery, offering flatbreads, whoopie pies, doughnuts, muffins, cookies, and pizza crust. The bakery is also home of Magic 8 Donuts! These

You’ll Eat It and Like It

You’ll Eat It and Like It offers custom baked goods, delivered right to your door, as well as personal chef services. Visit their Instagram page for mouthwatering food photos.

Trupo Treats

Trupo Treats is a vegan chocolate company dedicated to making ethical and delicious vegan milk chocolate. Founded by the Trupo Twins, Brian and Charlie, the company is veganizing your childhood

Col’s Kitchen

Col’s Kitchen serves plant-based home cooking right in the heart of Concord, NH. Offering homemade sammies, scrambles, sodas, cake shakes, and more. “Love the variety of options from ‘fancier’ items

Country Life Restaurant

Country Life in Keene is a health food store and vegan buffet restaurant.

The Green Elephant

The Green Elephant in Portsmouth, NH offers a meat-free menu made up of ingredients and flavors from Thailand, Malaysia, China, and India. “Never a disappointment! A vegetarian restaurant with vegan

Lovebird Donuts

Lovebird Donuts in Kittery, ME is a don’t miss, all-vegan coffee and donut shop.

The Green Beautiful

The Green Beautiful offers 100% plant-based meals at their Manchester café or delivered to your door.

Joyfull Eats

Joyfull Eats offers practical whole food, plant-based meals for families living a full life. All meals free of animal products, soy, and gluten.

Flourish Salon

Flourish Salon in Newmarket , NH is a single chair salon suite offering hair care services that are cruelty free, vegan, and natural based.

IMACAKE Vegan Bakery

Imacake Bakery is owned by Jenny, who operates the vegan bakery out of her home kitchen in Southern NH. For more mouthwatering food photos, visit imacake’s Instagram page.

Shari’s Sweet Shoppe

Owned and operated by Shari Davey, Shari’s Sweet Shoppe offers 100% vegan baked goods with gluten free options. Shari specializes in delicious cruelty-free custom cakes, cupcakes, and decorated cookies. Her business

Tips for Eating Vegan

Q: What are some easy vegan meals if I don’t want to cook?

Eating whole foods — such as fresh produce, grains, and legumes — is promoted as the healthiest diet, but sometimes you just need something quick.

We asked a few NHARL members to share their favorite quick and easy vegan meals:

Lydia says: My go-to easy vegan meal is Imagine’s Organic Sweet Pea Soup or one of Gardein’s plant-based canned soups along with some crusty bread.

Pasta is also easy and satisfying. To easily make it more filling and nutritious, throw some broccoli or spinach (fresh if you have it, but canned or frozen vegetables are better than no vegetables at all) in the pot a couple minutes before the pasta is done. The vegetables will cook along with the pasta, and there will be only one pot to clean!

Elizabeth says: One approach to easy, quick meals is to cook a lot of something in advance. At the beginning of the week, I might bake a whole pan of sweet potatoes, for example. Then I have something I can quickly microwave when I want to throw a meal together.

Japanese sweet potatoes (purple skin) are especially delicious. You can even eat them cold for a nutritious on-the-run snack.

Emma says: Since I have young kids and also work, I tend to keep a lot of prepared foods on hand for quick meals. One of my kids’ favorite meals is Gardein crispy tenders with veggie or sweet potato fries.

Other combos my kids like include:

Lightlife Smart Dogs with Annie’s Vegan Mac (boxed or frozen)
Sandwiches with Tofurkey Deli Slices, Violife cheddar slices, and Vegenaise
Spaghetti and Gardein meatballs
Nasoya Tofu Vegetable Dumplings
Daiya frozen pizza

Joanne says: We are big fans of avocados. During the COVID-19 pandemic when we made as few trips to the grocery store as possible, we learned that avocados can be stored in the refrigerator to slow ripening.

When I want a quick meal made with fresh ingredients, I make 15-Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta (from Oh She Glows).

Q: Isn’t a vegan diet expensive?

It doesn’t have to be. Certain vegan foods are expensive, but the basic, whole foods that are best for us — such as grains and legumes — tend to be quite affordable.

One reason that vegan alternatives are more expensive than the animal products they replace is because the meat, dairy, and egg industries are subsidized by the government. As more doctors and consumers come to recognize that animal products are not only dietarily unnecessary but also shown to be detrimental to health, our system of underwriting the animal agriculture industry is facing challenge.

There are many web sites and books focused on how to eat vegan on a budget.

The cookbook pictured at right was voted best cookbook of the year by VegNews magazine.

Q: Can eating vegan really help the Earth?

Yes, it really can. Environmental organizations state that a shift toward animal-free diets is one of the most important actions we can take to reduce climate destruction, deforestation, and species extinction.

The EcoFood Guide is a colorful, user-friendly resource that explains the climate benefits of vegan food choices, along with helpful tips, recipes, statistics, and food swaps.

Q: Can dogs be vegan?

Yes they can. While it’s commonly believed that dogs are carnivores like their wolf ancestors, meaning that they must eat meat to survive, this is incorrect. Canine digestive systems are quite capable of digesting and deriving nutrients from fruits and vegetables.

Take a look at our brochure — Can Dogs Be Vegan — to learn about the surprising benefits of a plant-based diet for your dog. (New Hampshire Animal Rights League does understand that “vegan” is not a diet but rather a lifestyle based on ethics. We use the word here only because its dietary meaning is so well understood.)

“Did you know that a quarter of all the meat consumed in the United States is eaten by our pets? That’s equivalent to the amount devoured by 26 million Americans…” — The Clean Pet Food Revolution: How Better Pet Food Will Change the World