Vegan Tips for Dining Out
Eating out can be a little challenging, especially for new vegans. You tend to be extra careful with choosing food off the menu, making sure that you only order what’s vegan. At times, you may even find yourself asking the waiter about how the food is prepared and what the ingredients are or even request some modifications to suit your diet.
Here are some things you can do to make your dining out experience better and hassle-free.
Plan Ahead and Check the Menu of the Restaurant Online
Of course, you won’t always be the one to choose the restaurant, so it may not always be a vegan establishment that you dine at. The key, so you can still enjoy eating out at whatever restaurant your friends or family choose, is to check their menu online and plan what you will eat. Look for a vegan-friendly meal option, and perhaps you can call the restaurant ahead to ask them how it’s prepared and cooked. If you can’t find any vegan-friendly dish on their menu, you can always ask them if they can modify a meal to make it vegan.
Ask for Their Vegan Menu
Some restaurants have a repertoire of dishes that aren’t on the main menu, but they are happy to make to ensure they cater to all dietary requirements. Some restaurants may have limitations on this, but it won’t hurt to ask them for what you want. Nowadays, restaurant chefs are very accommodating, and good establishments will always aim to please their customers.
It’s a good idea to double-check with the host when you ask for a table to see what vegan meals are on their menu of whether they can make something that’s not on the menu.
Be Creative with the Side Dishes
If you dine out somewhere that is a bit behind the vegan times; you may need to be creative with the side dishes. Ask your server to replace, for example, the butter with sunflower or avocado oil, or ask them to remove the cheese. You can also try to order a few side dishes to create your own meal – something not just limited to vegans. Creating a tapas of side dishes can make for a delightful meal.
Look for Alternatives
Substitution is the name of the game if your options are limited. You can order a vegetable burrito, but make sure to have the cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream removed. Politely ask your server to replace the mayonnaise with vegan guacamole or avocado slices. Look carefully at the menu and see if they can alter some dishes to suit your taste. It’s just a matter of asking politely to find out what the restaurant can offer you.
Suggest Ethnic Cuisines
Cuisines like Indian, Mexican, and Thai generally speaking have a variety of vegan options. You can suggest to your friends to go to these restaurants if you can’t dine in at fully vegan restaurants. Your friends will surely love the food and the experience, too. Also, the dishes that can easily be changed to include tofu or beans for protein intake.
Have Fun with Your Drinks
If you find yourself somewhere with limited vegan food options, and the fast-food on offer is just not nutritional enough, consider ordering fresh juice or smoothies. If you dine at a restaurant, see if they can make you some fun non-alcoholic cocktails.
Make An Online Review or Write on Their Comment Card
Don’t feel that it will offend the restaurant if you write a comment or review about them. It would actually help them improve their service. You can always suggest them to add more vegan options in the future. They will surely appreciate it and will definitely consider your suggestion.
Luckily more and more vegan fast-food restaurants are opening up, and restaurants offer at least one vegan choice in each part of their menu. Plant-based fast food is here to stay, and not just a trend – fast-food chains are all serving plant-based meats.
If you want to start your vegan lifestyle, VegHealth Institute can give you pertinent and essential information. They offer credible nutrition certification to spread knowledge in the community about healthy eating. They also organize comprehensive and trustworthy nutritional information about eating a healthy plant-based diet.
Have you had experience dining out at a vegan fast food? Comment in the section below and share your experience with us.