Being vegan in 2020 is for sure easier than being vegan back in 2015, and while it may seem like the majority of the places have it together, many parts of the world are still catching up. Meaning, that being vegan in 2020 still doesn’t come without its challenges, one of them being dining out. Here are my top 5 tips for dining out as a vegan.
Being vegan in 2020 is waaaaay easier than being vegan in 2015. While it may seem like the majority of the places have it together, many parts of the world are still catching up (i.e. a small colonized island in the Caribbean is one of those places). Meaning, that being vegan in 2020 still doesn’t come without its challenges, one of them being dining out.
We’ve all been there, your friends (or family or partner) want to have dinner at a non-vegan restaurant that you haven’t visited since becoming vegan or ever; and trust me, you don’t want to be the person that gets the sad salad as a meal. Going out to a non-vegan restaurant may call for some creativity, especially when visiting the very dreaded chain restaurants. But if there’s anything that I’ve learned these past couples of years is that there isn’t a challenge a vegan can’t handle, especially when it comes to food.
If you want to go out and have dinner at a non-vegan restaurant, there’s literally no way around it: you’re gonna have to veganize something. Here are my top tips & tricks to surviving dining out.
- Plan ahead. Search the menu online before you go to a restaurant to see if there are any obvious vegan menu items or vegetarian dishes you can veganize. If there aren’t any veganizable dishes on the menu, don’t be afraid to call the restaurant ahead and ask if they can accommodate a vegan. I know, this can be a little intimidating, but most restaurants appreciate a heads up.
- Be nice, but thorough. When visiting a non-vegan restaurant, be nice to the staff when asking for any type of accommodation, but be thorough with what you want. “Is the rice cooked with chicken or beef stock? Does the pasta contain eggs? Is the dish made with fish sauce or flakes? Does the sauce contain dairy or eggs?” All of those questions are super important, in order for you to have a good experience at any restaurant.
- Ask for their allergy menu. Did you know that some restaurants have secret menus? I realize that it isn’t the norm for restaurants to have separate menus, but it never hurts to ask. This is more probable in chain restaurants.
- Subbing. The subbing method is perfect because most menus have vegetarian options that can easily be made vegan. Just ask if the dairy or egg can be removed to make the dish vegan-friendly, and sometimes, when you remove an ingredient, the restaurant gives you the option to add something else (avocado, greens, sauteed veggies, etc.).
- Get creative with the sides. I have lost count of all of the times that I’ve made a full meal out of sides! Recently, while visiting Iceland, I went to a restaurant whose only vegan option had run out, so I made an entire meal out of their roasted potatoes. Sometimes vegetarian menu items can be made vegan quite easily by just replacing the butter for oil or leaving off the cheese. If my options are limited I always ask if these swaps can be made. A few sides like rice, beans, potatoes, and sauteed veggies add up to a balanced meal.
- BONUS- Get the apps. Happy Cow is by far the most complete website/app for searching for vegan-friendly restaurants in your area. However, there are also lots of great websites/apps that will help you find great vegan-friendly restaurants near you or while traveling. For example, when I visited Iceland a couple of weeks back, I found out that they had their own app. So make sure you do some research before traveling.
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