Windstar Cruises has partnered with the National Health Association to create a new vegan menu on board all six of the small ship line’s yachts. The offerings are not only plant-based but also prepared without added salt, oil, and sugar and are gluten-free.
Windstar has begun training its culinary team on the new menu that’s available fleetwide starting in June. The choices add to menu options including vegetarian and omnivore choices daily.
The menu evolved out of hosting several vegan groups, which have grown significantly in popularity since the start of the pandemic. Lisa McCarl, a former open heart recovery nurse turned travel advisor, says there is a huge demand for healthy travel options.
“More people are changing the way they eat to prevent and reverse diet-related disease. Why not make it easy for them to continue that healthy lifestyle while sailing on the trip of a lifetime? Windstar is doing a phenomenal job in making healthy cruising a reality.”
Sample dishes from the new menu include daily smoothies and entrees such as Roasted Butternut Squash Velouté with baked pumpkin seeds, Penne Rigate Pasta, with Crisp Vegetables and espelette pepper sauce or veggie enchiladas with black bean and cilantro sauce. Desserts include Tahini Brownies with fresh strawberries
“The National Health Association points out that vegetarian and vegan diets are not always healthy, and for meals to be truly health-promoting, they also need to be minimally processed and prepared,” explains Windstar’s director of hotel operations Peter Tobler, who oversees food and beverage operations.
“We’ve seen an increased demand for whole-food, plant-based dishes from our customers, and we’re really excited to work with the NHA to bring them something that’s nutritious and delicious. As a side benefit, plant-based foods also reduce our environmental footprint – a major goal of Windstar’s – allowing us to tread more lightly on this planet.”
