Eating out as a vegetarian

Without a doubt, one of the hardest parts of being a vegetarian is having something to eat when you have to dine out. Many restaurants have menus that are based upon meat-eating diets so you really have to watch your step when it comes to going out to eat. In this article, we’ll offer up some tips on how you can stick to your vegetarian diet when you are placed in situations where you are not able to dine the way that you would want to.

• One situation that can be difficult to navigate is going to a barbecue. It’s a traditional American pastime, and it is one that is firmly based in meat-eating culture. In order to get through a barbecue, you may want to consider bringing a meat-substitute to grill. Boca burgers or tofu dogs are two options that you may want to think about. Bring a little extra in case someone wants to give it a shot, and who knows? You might be able to help someone to develop a more vegetarian diet.
• When you have to eat at a banquet and there are no vegetarian dining options, you may want to consider asking your server if they might be able to ask the cooks if they could assemble a basic and easy vegetarian dish. Think about food items that are commonly found in restaurants and you may be able to get them to create you a dish that you will enjoy. Baked potatoes and steamed vegetables are two types of foods that are commonly in the kitchens of banquet halls, so you might want to try to base a dish off of them. Pasta is another common option that you may want to ask about.
• If you have an option on where to go out to eat, you may want to consider opting for a type of ethnic cuisine. Typical American fare tends to be more focused on meats than the diets of other cultures, so you may want to consider trying Thai food or Indian food in order to ensure that your vegetarian needs will be easily met by the restaurant staff with a minimum of difficulty.
• More and more, restaurants are beginning to offer vegetarian-friendly options. These days, even fast food restaurants are beginning to offer meat-substitute foods such as Boca burgers, making it quite easy for a vegetarian to dine in compliance with their diets while on the go.

Without a doubt, it is much easier to maintain a diet that contains meat than it is to stick to a vegetarian diet. It can be difficult to stick with, but the results that it can have on your health and the impact that it can have on the environment make becoming a vegetarian one of the best decisions that you could make. More than ever, life is getting easier for a vegetarian to maintain, but it still requires some dedication and hard work on your part. Stick with it!