I remember very well how overwhelming it was to eat in a restaurant when I first went plant-based. At first, I looked for vegan or vegetarian restaurants, but those aren’t always available nor are they always very healthy. When I began to venture out to regular old restaurants, I started to learn some helpful tricks and hints. And guess what?!! You don’t have to eat just salad! Here is some of what I’ve learned over the years.
This is part one of two posts on eating plant-based in restaurants. In this post I will cover how to find and plan your restaurant visits. There are also some suggestions for what to order once you’re there.
Plan Ahead
When you can, one of the easiest things you can do is to plan ahead. If you know where you’re going to eat, you can be prepared before you get there.
Ethnic restaurants (Asian, Indian, Nepalese, Mexican, Italian, etc) are great places to find vegan/plant-based options.
Plant-Based Restaurant Apps
Having apps like these is really helpful when you’re in an unfamiliar city or country. You plug in what type food you’re searching for (ie: vegan or vegan options) and it brings up restaurants meeting those qualifications.
HAPPY COW!
This awesome app has been around for a while now! I’ve used it all over the world!
For Android & Apple devices https://www.happycow.net/
Vanilla Bean is another cool app to help locate vegan restaurants! For both Android & Apple devices https://www.vanilla-bean.com/
VeganXpress
I’m an Android gal, so I haven’t actually tried this one, but it looks and sounds very cool!
For Apple devices http://www.veganxpress.com/
Or just use Google or Yelp!
You can always just google “vegan friendly restaurants near me” to pull-up a list. This isn’t necessarily the best method, because it isn’t always accurate. But, I have done this a fair amount of times! With Yelp, you will often find restaurant ratings too.
Check the menu online
Once I know where I’m eating, the first thing I usually do is to check the restaurant website for a menu. I like to have an idea up front (especially when going out with friends) of what I’m going to order before I get there. Because I don’t like to make a big fuss or call attention to myself, knowing ahead of time what to order is the way to go!
Wow, Olive Garden💚! Check out this amazing listing on their website. It shows which offerings are vegan or vegetarian and whether or not they are fried. COOL!
https://media.olivegarden.com/images/site/ext/pdfs/olive-garden-veg-vegan-012819.pdf
Unfortunately, most restaurants aren’t this comprehensive in their listings, but viewing the online menu will at least give you an idea of what is there.
Call the restaurant ahead of time
When I have called restaurants, I have found them to be very accommodating! They usually offer suggestions, but sometimes just tell me to let the waitperson know when ordering. Once in a while they even have a vegan/vegetarian menu that isn’t advertised on their website. 👍😃 In fact, I find more and more restaurants are adding those options to their menus. Yay!
You’re sitting at the table…now what?
First, check to see if they have a VEGETARIAN SECTION in the menu. You won’t often find purely vegan listings, but it’s usually pretty easy to alter a vegetarian dish to make it plant-based. Sometimes restaurants even put little leaves 🍃 or symbols next to vegan or vegetarian items in their menu.
- Oatmeal can be made with water instead of milk. Ask for some fruit on the side.
- An order of hash browns with salsa and fruit with toast (no butter, please) makes a good breakfast!
- Breakfast skillets can be made without eggs. Sometimes, if you’re lucky they can substitute with tofu. Otherwise, just ask for extra potatoes, lots of veggies and some salsa on the side.
- A veggie sandwich can be made without mayo or cheese. If there is hummus or avocado on the menu, those can be added instead!
- A bean burrito made with black beans instead of refried (which often include lard) and rice is a great option. Just say no thanks to cheese or sour cream.
- Ask to substitute beans for the chicken in a big salad. And request they add lots of fresh veggies.
- Pasta (whole wheat if it’s available) with marinara and no added cheese. Ask if they’ll add a big pile of steamed veggies or mushrooms.
Check out the Appetizers and Sides
If they don’t have a vegetarian listing, look at the APPETIZERS and SIDES. You can easily make a whole meal from these two categories.
- Hummus plate with veggies and pita bread
- Side salad
- Baked potato with salsa or mustard or hummus
- Sweet potatoes or yams (plain)
- Plain rice (brown rice, if they have it)
- Steamed veggies (no added butter)
- Bruschetta (bread with tomatoes & basil) with no cheese
- Olives
- Edamame
- Veggie Soup (but check to see that they use veggie broth)
Believe or not, steak houses are actually good places to find plant-based foods because they offer great sides! Just keep in mind, that while things like french fries are plant-based, but they are not very healthy.
Ask Questions!
When in doubt, it’s always best to ask questions.
- Don’t assume a veggie burger is actually vegan because many have eggs in them!
- Salad dressings often have oil and cheese hiding in them. Balsamic vinegar is a great choice if they don’t have vegan dressings. Or sneak in a small container of your own oil-free dressing.
- Be pleasant and specific about your needs. They might not know what plant-based or vegan actually means.
- Ask about substitutions!
- If you don’t find anything plant-based on the menu, ask the waiter for some options.
Calling Card
While I have not actually tried this – I have heard that people have little business cards printed up (something like this) listed with the items they can eat. They give them to the waiter and ask the chef/cook to prepare something creative. I hear chefs might even like the challenge. I suggest you call ahead of time if you’re thinking of doing this. 😉
Wrapping this up
Those are just a few helpful hints on venturing out to a restaurant and staying true to your plant-based diet. I hope you found the information good and useful!
In part two of this series, I’ll delve into some actual restaurant choices and give you some ideas of food items you can order. Stay tuned! 😊
