Happier meals

On Monday, the McDonald’s Corporation reported its fourth straight quarter of flat sales.

Jim Yin, an analyst with S&P Capital IQ, an international financial-information provider, shared this observation:

“We think (McDonald's) is losing its appeal to the millennial generation, who prefer healthier foods,” Yin said in a written statement to the Reuters news service.

And often, healthier means animal-free. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, a division of the National Institutes of Health, the benefits of a vegetarian or vegan diet “arise from lower intakes of saturated fat, cholesterol and animal protein.”

What's good for your health is also good for the planet.

In 2010, the United Nations issued a report in which it urged people to adopt a vegan diet, noting that “impacts from agriculture are expected to increase substantially due to population growth increasing consumption of animal products.”

Enough with the preaching, it's time to act.

Earlier this month, myriad local restaurants took part in the third annual Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge. Missed it? Ask participating restaurants to keep vegan items on the menu year-round (www.sacveganchallenge.com). Or check out noted chef Michael Thiemann's new vegetarian restaurant, Mother (see The V Word, page 30). Thiemann, set to open the spot by the end of the year near the Crest Theatre, is currently hosting a weekly Tuesday-night pop-up version at Old Ironsides (1901 10th Street) through November. Or check out his Mother Bear Pop! at The Golden Bear (2326 K Street) on Thursday, October 31, at 8 p.m. for $10.

Try it. Your health, the environment—and, of course, the animals—will thank you.