Vegans Eating Out: Avoid Unhappy Surprises
Vegans and plant-based eaters often find ourselves in this type of scenario: We go to a restaurant. It probably wasn’t our top choice, but we agreed to go there to spend time with our friends, family or even coworkers. While it is not a plant-based restaurant, we figure every restaurant offers salads or sides of vegetables, right? Finding something that suits us shouldn’t be too hard. Wrong! Once at the restaurant we realize that the salads come with cheese or bacon bits, or that they are terribly plain and boring. Think iceberg lettuce, tomatoes and, of course, ranch. Okay, we tell ourselves. We can do this. We’ll just order a side of vegetables instead. The asparagus sound good. But when our order arrives, we are shocked to discover that they were sautéed in butter and topped with sour cream!
We’ve all been there. The truth is that restaurants typically don’t cater to the vegan community, and when they do, they rarely ever offer whole-food, plant-based options. You know, for those of us trying to avoid oils, excessive salt, sugar, and ultra-processed foods. So, is it even possible to enjoy a dinner out now that we’re paying close attention to what we eat?
Yes, it is. But, it does require some planning, research, and even some flexibility.
Easy tips to avoid frustrating situations:
1. Check out the online menu before you go
Getting familiar with their food options before you get to the restaurant will help you plan ahead. Simply look up the restaurant online and take a look at their menu. Does it have any options marked as vegan? Do they list their ingredients? Does anything look like it can be easily adapted to suit your dietary preferences?
2. Call ahead of time
If you have any questions after identifying some good options on their menu, hit them up. Ask any questions you may have about their ingredients or about adaptations you’d like to request.
3. Never assume
Sometimes it’s not possible to check out a restaurant online or to simply call in advance. The restaurant may not have a website or maybe going there was spur of the moment. It’s okay, but take your time inspecting the menu and, most importantly, never assume. In a culture that for generations has normalized the use of animal products for everything, it’s not unusual to discover that a restaurant’s vegetable soup was made with chicken broth, that vegetables are sautéed with butter, or that pastries typically include eggs. So, when ordering, always ask about the non-listed ingredients. If your waiter doesn’t know, kindly ask them to check with the chef.
4. Ask for modifications
Just because something is typically cooked with animal-based products or a lot of oil or salt, that doesn’t mean the chef can’t make an adjustment for you. Ask if they can use olive oil instead of butter, or better yet, water. Ask them to reduce or eliminate the salt. In other words, don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. Again, if the waiter doesn’t know, kindly ask them to check with the chef or the manager.
5. Bring your own seasonings
When we follow a WFPB diet, we understand the many sources of flavors that we have at our disposal: herbs, spices, nutritional yeast (nooch), vinegars, vinaigrettes, miso… Basically, we know that we can add plenty of flavor to our foods without dairy, oil, sugar, or even salt. Sadly, most non-vegan restaurants are not so aware of this. So, carry some spices with you, some nooch, a small bottle of vinaigrette… anything that can turn a plain salad or plain steamed vegetable into something you’ll enjoy.
6. If necessary, bring your own meal or eat beforehand
We often go to restaurants to be part of social events. If you know that the restaurant can’t accommodate you, ask if you can bring your own packed meal. If this isn’t allowed and you don’t have the option of going to a more accommodating restaurant, you can always eat before you join your party.
Plant dishes that could have non-plant-based ingredients:
More often than not the staff at a restaurant will try to accommodate us. However, they may not be fully familiar with what it means to be vegan or follow a WFPB diet. For this reason, pay special attention to foods that may appear to be plant-based but could in fact have non-vegan ingredients. The following are some typical examples:
This rice made with tomato sauce, diced carrots and peas, is often cooked in chicken broth. So, always ask your waiter how it was cooked before ordering. You can also order plain white rice, which is typically just cooked in water.
It might seem reasonable to just get beans and rice and skip the meat. Careful! Refried beans are sometimes made with lard! So, verify the ingredients before ordering. Also, remind them not to sprinkle any crumbled cheese on top.
Always, always ask what they use for sautéing their vegetables. Is it oil or butter? Can they dry-sautée or use water instead? Also, make sure to remind them not to add any cheese, sour cream or bacon as toppings. It can happen.
Pizza dough should be vegan, just wheat flour, yeast, water, and it usually contains olive oil, salt, and sometimes herbs. However, some restaurants may include eggs. If you order gluten-free pizza, it is often made with cauliflower and eggs.
Sometimes a bowl of corn chowder or a split pea soup sounds soothing and delicious! But, yet again, non-vegan restaurants are probably using milk, cheese, or other animal-based ingredients to make it.
If you go to a Thai or Vietnamese restaurant, watch out for added fish sauce. It’s often part of soups, like pho, or dishes like Pad Thai. If you order veggie or tofu Pad Thai, request that they omit the fish sauce and eggs.
Indian food often includes dairy in their naan or flatbread, and in their sauces, like the creamy masala. Instead, eggplant bharta, saag tofu, and even chickpea masala are often vegan. Verify and skip the bread.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but most desserts at non-vegan restaurants are made with ingredients like eggs, butter and milk. Instead of going for the pie, cake, or pudding, try a sorbet or seasonal fruit instead.
If you’ve recently started following a plant-based diet, going to regular restaurants might seem a bit overwhelming. Don’t worry, soon all of this will become second nature to you. Plus, you will identify the restaurants that are the most accommodating and you’ll soon have your go-to dishes at each place. Practice makes perfect, so keep going out and exploring. Bon appétit!
