Yakima Adventist Christian School (YACS) held its sixth annual Vegetarian International Food Fair at the school on Jan. 11. The YACS Home and School organized the event, while parents, students and local church members helped by running booths and preparing the delicious vegetarian food.
The attendance this year was especially large, partly due to the recent news of a case of “mad cow disease” in the Yakima Valley. Local media publicized the event and came to interview organizers and visitors alike. While the school was careful not to criticize meat-eaters and especially the beef industry, they were able to emphasize the healthy benefits of a vegetarian diet.
More than 400 people, the majority from the community, came to YACS to sample many of the different vegetarian foods offered. This year the school also provided an opportunity to get a blood pressure check, to talk to a dietician and to purchase a cookbook filled with recipes from the school. Many booths offered samples of the cookbooks’ recipes. Vegetarian dishes from Argentina, Puerto Rico, Mexico, the Yakama Nation, Germany, India, Sweden, Pakistan, Lebanon, Alaska, Italy, Korea, Iceland and the United States filled booths around the gym.
The Vegetarian International Food Fair has been a fun outreach to our community and YACS plans on continuing this annual event. If you would like information about the school’s vegetarian cookbook, Sharing Our Best, contact Susan Bailey at (509) 966-1933, or visit their website YACS-sda.net.
One of the most popular booths, run by the All Nations Center, offered Indian tacos and sweet fry bread.
Another popular booth served authentic Mexican food and drinks.
