The Vegan Dinosaur is a weekly cooked vegan meal plan service, established by a 26-year-old Saudi entrepreneur Mansour Barri.
“My goal is to show people that vegan food is not boring, it is actually delicious,” Barri told Arab News.
“We try to use whole foods in our dishes as much as possible, such as homemade peanut butter and plant-based milks. In addition, we love to experiment with mock meats such as seitan, which tastes exactly like meat when seasoned correctly, and we will be adding homemade tofu and tempeh to our menu soon.”
Barri became a vegetarian when he was studying in Ireland three years ago. “The reason behind this choice was because I had anxiety and panic attack issues at the time. When I spoke to a friend about this, he suggested a plant-based diet.
“After some research, it appeared much healthier than the regular food I was eating at the time. After that conversation, I became a pescatarian for a year, and then shifted to vegetarianism and now to veganism. Since then, my life has changed a lot; I became more aware of my body and its needs, my mind is clearer and I became more aware of the environment and its issues.”
When he returned to Jeddah, he faced problems eating since there were not many vegan options available.
“I tried to subscribe to different meal prep food providers, their vegan options were not that nutritious nor tasty. Therefore, I started cooking for myself; sometimes I would bring food to work or cook for my friends.”
The feedback he received encouraged him to start his own business. “This encouraged me and had me experimenting with different recipes. I tried to combine different foods from different cultures such Italian, Indian, Thai, West African and Portuguese. I also tried to ‘veganize’ some of the meat recipes, such as the pasta bolognese, and turn it vegan by adding lentils instead of meat.”
Barri said the number of vegans has increased in the Kingdom over recent years.
“I believe there has been a huge shift in the Saudi perspective, especially among the new generation regarding the environment and environmental awareness.
“The vegan diet provides the full amount of protein, and the nine essential amino acids that the body needs. This can be done by combining grains such as brown rice, quinoa and buckwheat with beans such as black beans, red kidney beans and different types of lentils.
“The body needs only 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight. Eating two servings of rice, two servings of beans and one serving of oats is more than enough to meet the daily required amount of protein that the body needs.”
The healthy vegan diet contains plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds, “and because of that, they tend to be higher in vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and fiber, and are also low in cholesterol and saturated fats.”
Customers can reach out on Instagram (@the.vegan.dinosaur) for orders. Their current weekly plan includes two meals and two snacks a day, and can be delivered anywhere in Jeddah.
Startup of the Week: Changing eating habits for a healthy life
Startup of the Week: Changing eating habits for a healthy life
- The vegan diet provides the full amount of protein, and the nine essential amino acids that the body needs
Newly appointed Saudi ambassador to Mexico presents his credentials
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s newly appointed ambassador to Mexico has presented his credentials to the North American state’s foreign ministry, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Fahad bin Ali Al-Manawer handed over a copy of his credentials to Ambassador Jonathan Chait Auerbach, the director general of protocol at the ministry, at a reception held on Tuesday.
The diplomats also reviewed relations between their nations at the meeting.
Al-Manawer took his oath of office in from to the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in March, in a ceremony attended by the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
Saudi FM attends Oslo Forum in Norway
- Forum hosts global leaders and conflict mediators
- Prince Faisal bin Farhan will meet foreign officials
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in the Norwegian capital on Tuesday to take part in the Oslo Forum.
The annual event, organized by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue in Switzerland, hosts global leaders and conflict mediators.
Prince Faisal will meet foreign officials to strengthen relations with the Kingdom and discuss various regional and international issues, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
What pilgrims are sharing online after their Hajj journey
- Worshippers take to social media to share profound experiences with loved ones
- Posting online becomes a way to process the weight of Hajj for many
RIYADH: For many pilgrims, the spiritual journey of Hajj does not end when they leave the holy sites. It continues — quietly, intentionally — in the days and weeks that follow.
Across Saudi Arabia, young pilgrims are using social media to process the weight of Hajj and share the experience with loved ones.
Noor Ahmad, 21, did not plan to post during her pilgrimage. But after she returned, the urge to share came naturally.
After returning from Hajj, I decided to share a few captured moments. But how can a photo truly capture the depth and majesty of the experience?
Noor Ahmad
“After returning from Hajj, I decided to share a few captured moments,” she said. “But how can a photo truly capture the depth and majesty of the experience?”
She described how people responded in varied ways. “Those who had gone before felt nostalgic and started sharing their own stories. Others — those who hadn’t been yet — expressed their longing. It became this moment of connection.”
For Noor, the decision to post was not about aesthetics. “It’s a monumental event. Maybe I could inspire someone who’s hesitant to go. Maybe they’ll see what I saw — and want to experience it for themselves.
“It was my way of saying thank you”
Shatha Al-Jadaan, 25, took a different approach to sharing, after taking a digital detox.
I enjoy sharing meaningful moments, and after seeing the tremendous effort put into Hajj on every level, I felt my post was a small, sincere gesture of appreciation.
Shatha Al-Jadaan
“During Hajj, I decided to partially fast from social media. I used only the essentials,” she said. “After I returned, I posted a thread to my close friends explaining where I’d been and shared some of the most meaningful moments.”
The response was full of prayers and warmth. “People were kind, supportive, and curious. But what mattered most to me was that I used the thread to say thank you — to the organizers, to the volunteers, and to Allah.”
She spoke about how she found value in using digital platforms to document something greater than herself.
“I enjoy sharing meaningful moments, and after seeing the tremendous effort put into Hajj on every level, I felt my post was a small, sincere gesture of appreciation.”
Salem Al-Khudair, 28, recorded a voice note to his family group chat while performing the rites.
“I just couldn’t find the words to write. So I recorded myself speaking right after standing in Arafat. I sent it to my family WhatsApp group. My mom was emotional. My dad said, ‘May God accept from you.’ That was enough.”
In an age of curated content, Hajj posts tend to stand out for their sincerity. Pilgrims often strip away the filters, metaphors and trend-driven formats, and just speak from the heart.
Noura Al-Dosari, 23, uploaded a private Instagram story highlight with no captions. “Just visuals. No filters. No hashtags,” she said. “It wasn’t for followers. It was for me. For reflection. A digital bookmark of who I became.”
Some write long captions, others simply post a photo of their ihram folded neatly back into a drawer.
But all of them carry a silent message: I went. I came back different.
Many pilgrims use their posts to recall moments of physical hardship that brought emotional breakthroughs — the heat, the long walks, the brief but powerful connections with strangers.
Others use it to highlight the seamless organization of the pilgrimage as a reminder of how far the experience has evolved.
Amani Al-Saad, 26, used X to share a short story about a volunteer who helped her carry her bag in Muzdalifah. “She didn’t speak much, but she smiled at me and said, ‘This is what we’re here for.’ That stuck with me. I wrote about it as a reminder to myself — that sometimes the smallest moments hold the most meaning.”
While digital connections are increasingly common, most pilgrims emphasize that the real processing happens offline — in quiet conversations with family, in their prayer rooms, or on long drives home.
“I didn’t post to perform,” said Al-Jadaan. “I posted to remember.”
National Water Co. ready for post-Hajj season
- The company added the plan included securing water storage and coordinating with water production and distribution systems
MADINAH: The National Water Co. has confirmed it is operationally ready for the post-Hajj season.
The company said it would distribute more than 630,000 cubic meters of potable water daily to pilgrims at the Prophet’s Mosque and throughout Madinah and said its readiness built on ongoing efforts to serve pilgrims and visitors.
The plan involves more than 1,200 employees, including technical, administrative and engineering staff, working to provide water and environmental services.
The company added the plan included securing water storage and coordinating with water production and distribution systems, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Water will be supplied daily during the post-Hajj season through continuous pumping to the central area and religious sites. Chemical and biological tests will be conducted to ensure compliance with water quality standards.
The company said its smart operation system continues to manage and monitor Madinah’s water network, overseeing water pressure and quality in pipelines and reservoirs.
Saudi film body joins global audiovisual group
- Through this affiliation, the commission plans to develop archiving projects and engage in knowledge exchange with international institutions
RIYADH: The Film Commission announced its membership in the International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives, a step aimed at supporting its work in audiovisual archiving.
The association includes members from 70 countries and represents institutions that preserve materials such as visual content, musical works, historical and literary recordings, and oral histories.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, this membership supports the commission’s efforts to preserve Saudi Arabia’s audiovisual heritage.
Through this affiliation, the commission plans to develop archiving projects and engage in knowledge exchange with international institutions.
The move also reflects the commission’s aim to adopt recognized practices and modern technologies in film archiving, the SPA reported.
Cooperation with association members will provide access to innovations in audiovisual preservation and contribute to efforts to safeguard the Kingdom’s cultural heritage.
Founded in 1969 in Amsterdam, the association promotes collaboration among institutions focused on audiovisual preservation.
It hosts an annual conference for sharing expertise in preservation, restoration, digitization, intellectual property, and public access to archival materials.
